HC Deb 22 December 1976 vol 923 cc647-9
3. Mr. Christopher Price

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to visit the Condominium of the New Hebrides.

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Evan Luard)

My right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so.

Mr. Price

Does my hon. Friend agree that it is very important for Britain to reassure the National Party in the New Hebrides, which looks to Britain for protection, about complex electoral machinery which has given it the majority of votes but denied it the majority of seats and that the system is not simply rigged against it? Is my hon. Friend aware that when independence comes it should be genuine and not subject to the economic domination of the French, who are in the South Pacific, in French Polynesia and New Caledonia, only for nuclear motives? Can my hon. Friend give any target date for independence?

Mr. Luard

The National Party is the largest single party in the new Assembly. Therefore, there is no doubt that it will play a dominant part in framing proposals for constitutional advance in the New Hebrides. On the second point, there is no question that independence in the New Hebrides will provide a specially privileged place for any particular Power, European or otherwise. So far, no date has been set for independence.

Mr. Thorpe

Will the Minister go further and reject this monstrous attack by his hon. Friend on the Westminster electoral system, which is well known and well tried and is guaranteed to ensure that minority interests are represented, and nearly always ensures that the minority are returned as the Government of the day?

Mr. Luard

I refrain from commenting on the way in which our electoral system operates for the Liberal Party. Let me make clear, however, that the National Party secured the largest number of votes in the election and that it is the largest single party represented in the Assembly.

Mr. Newens

Has my hon. Friend studied the plans which have been made to deal with defects in the system for registering voters, with the failure to take action to put an end to an illegal radio station, and with violence and intimidation? Will he seek to consult the French authorities to make sure that there are no attempts to frustrate democracy or to cultivate separatist tendencies for purely unnecessary ends?

Mr. Luard

As my hon. Friend knows, there were a small number of incidents in the recent elections, and in one or two cases special by-elections were held to remedy the situation. Given that the country is not yet fully accustomed to the democratic system, I believe that the elections were held with a considerable degree of success and public participation.

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