§ 2.34 p.m.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether it is true that property has been acquired by certain Colonial civil servants in the territories in which they are stationed; if so, in what territories and by which officials; and whether the Government do not consider this an undesirable practice and what steps they will take to prevent it.]
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (VISCOUNT HALL)My Lords, cases of the acquisition of property by Colonial civil servants are not usually reported to the Colonial Office. Generally speaking, locally recruited officers are under no restriction in this matter. Under Colonial 36 regulations, which in this respect are applicable primarily to externally recruited officers, an officer may acquire property or any other financial interest in the Colony in which he is stationed only with the prior approval of the Governor, who has to be guided in his decision by whether the officer's private affairs might be brought into real or apparent conflict with his public duties through such acquisition. It is impossible for my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies to say what officials have acquired property in the various territories.
From time to time Governors seek guidance as to the exercise of their discretion in particular classes of cases from the Secretary of State. My right honourable friend feels that the regulations are thoughtfully administered by Governors in the public interest.
LORD FARINGDONMy Lords, arising out of that answer, may I take it that the practice on the whole, since it is clearly under rather strict control, would not be approved; and would it not be a good thing if the Secretary of State had rather more information on the point? There is a third point, if I may put it. I think there is a rule that retiring Governors, at any rate, do not settle down in the territory from which they are retiring until at least five years after their retirement. I should like to know if that is in fact the rule, and whether it applies to anybody below the rank of Governor.
§ VISCOUNT HALLThe last point put by the noble Lord is one about which I shall have to make inquiries. I know of no regulation which prevents an ex-Colonial Office official from settling down in the territory from which he has retired.
§ VISCOUNT HALLI will make inquiries and let my noble friend know about that. With regard to the question of the Secretary of State for Colonies being made acquainted with these matters, I think it is right to say that I know of no complaint which has been registered by any aggrieved party as to any person acquiring territory, as is suggested. If my noble friend knows 37 of any cases which he thinks ought to be brought to the notice of the Secretary of State, and he will let me know of them, I will certainly see that they are brought to the notice of my right honourable friend.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKIs it not a fact that the Colonial Office regulations have contained orders in these matters for generations, and that in the course of many years they have hardly ever been transgressed?
§ VISCOUNT HALLSo far as I know, that is the case. There are quite a number of regulations and, as I have explained to my noble friend, I personally know of no case, and I know of no case registered at the Colonial Office, in which these regulations have been transgressed.