§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any information to give about the publication of Lord Hailey's Report upon the amalgamation of Southern and Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland?]
VISCOUNT CRAKBORNEMy Lords, I am very glad to give the noble Viscount, Lord Elibank, the information for which he asks. Following his visit to Africa in 1940, Lord Hailey prepared a Note on the bearing of native policy on the proposed amalgamation of the Rhodesias and Nyasaland. Copies of this Note have been forwarded to the Governments concerned, and the question of its publication has been considered. As your Lordships will appreciate, it is impossible for His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and for Parliament to give the necessary consideration to the amalgamation issue in the present circumstances. It has therefore been agreed with the Government of Southern Rhodesia that the publication of Lord Hailey's Note shall be deferred until due consideration of the problem of amalgamation becomes possible.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, arising out of that reply I should like to say that, while I am very anxious to see the Report published, the solution referred to seems to me, in all the circumstances, to be the best one to adopt.