§ Q1. Mr. Winnickasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the latest position in Rhodesia.
§ Q5. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a further statement on Rhodesia.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to Questions by the hon. Gentlemen the Members for Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro), Haltem-price (Mr. Wall) and Antrim, South (Sir Knox Cunningham) on 21st of January.—[Vol. 776, c. 245–9.]
§ Mr. WinnickWhat observations are being made by the British Government about the proceedings against the Reverend Sithole, in view of the fact that the courts and the régime of course in Salisbury are illegal? Would any new exchanges between Britain and Salisbury begin while those proceedings are still outstanding?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not think that anything can usefully be done at this stage on that. We have no information about the charges or the conduct of those proceedings.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonDespite all the ideological huffing and puffing, do not race relations remain good in Rhodesia, from which country no Asians have felt it necessary to seek entry here? Will the right hon. Gentleman give constructive consideration to Mr. Smith's new proposals, when received?
§ The Prime MinisterIf there are any proposals from Mr. Smith in response to our leaving the "Fearless" terms on the table, of course they will be considered. I do not think that it is possible to judge the state of race relations in Rhodesia, in so far as all relations there are based on repression.