CARIBBEAN FEDERATION CONFERENCE (Hansard, 29 February 1956)

§ THE EARL OF LISTOWEL
My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (LORD LLOYD)
My Lords, the House will, I know, have been delighted to hear that the Conference reached agreement on the main outstanding issues concerning British Caribbean federation. Its Report has been laid on the Table of the House; copies are available in the Printed Paper Office and in the Library of the House, and it will be printed and published as soon as possible as a Command Paper. The delegates from the British Caribbean, who were fully authorised to speak for their territories, agreed unanimously that their respective countries should be bound together in federation and solemnly de-clared their earnest wish that leave should be sought to introduce a Bill into the United Kingdom Parliament accordingly. They agreed that federal elections should take place in the first quarter of 1958.
The Conference reached decisions on a small number of constitutional variations in the 1953 Federal Plan, including some changes in the Federal Legislative List, an 58 alteration in the composition of the Federal Executive, and a simplification of the method of revising the Constitution, especially in relation to the possible later admission to the Federation of British Guiana and British Honduras. The Conference agreed on the method to be adopted initially for securing federal revenue. This represents a compromise between the recommendations of the Fiscal Commissioner and the method envisaged in the 1953 Federal Plan. It also agreed to set up a Commission to report to the Federal Government on a customs union, which was considered to be highly desirable in principle. It agreed on the setting up of a Federal Supreme Court, but deferred the question of the site of the federal capital until this had been reported on by an impartial fact-finding commission.
Much constitutional and administrative work still remains to be done. To undertake this work it was agreed that the Conference should continue as a standing body in the West Indies, under the name of the Standing Federation Committee and under the chairmanship of the Comptroller for Development and Welfare in the West Indies. British Caribbean Governments will be represented on this Committee in the same proportions as for the meetings held in London, and British Guiana and British Honduras will continue to be represented by observers. It is envisaged that, when the Governor-General has been appointed, the Committee will operate as an advisory body to him until such time as the first federal elections have taken place. Arrangements for these elections, together with a decision on the site of the capital as a result of the recommendations of the fact-finding Commission, will be among the important tasks facing the Committee.
Her Majesty's Government has promised assistance to the Federation in a number of ways, including:
First, subject to the approval of Parliament, an increase in Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the cost of the federal capital from £500,000 to such sums as may be required up to a maximum of £1 million;
Second, facilitation of access by the Federal Government to the London market for the raising of loans when the need arises;
59 Third, the provision of funds to the Federal Government to enable that Government to continue for the present assistance in the form of grants-in-aid of administration to a number of the smaller territories joining the Federation;
Finally, a continuation of assistance under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts.
Now that these years of slow but persistent progress towards federation have resulted in this measure of agreement between West Indian Governments, it is the intention of my right honourable friend to seek leave to introduce into Parliament an Enabling Bill. This will pave the way for an Order in Council embodying the Constitution. I hope that Parliament may be willing to pass the Bill through all stages in both Houses before the Summer Recess.

§ THE EARL OF LISTOWEL
My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord, Lord Lloyd, for his reply and to congratulate Her Majesty's Government, the Ministers, officials and all concerned, on the success of the Conference, and particularly on the statement of intention to introduce an Enabling Bill which I am sure will be welcomed by all Parties in both Houses of Parliament. I also wish, if the noble Lord will forgive me, to ask rather more supplementary questions than it is usual to ask on a Starred Question—the noble Marquess the Leader of the House, I think, promised us yesterday afternoon that we should have a half-holiday to-day.
I would first ask whether the noble Lord does not sympathise with my feelings, as I am rather in the position of someone standing on the sideline and, in spite of his habitual loyalties, feeling obliged to applaud the equally excellent performances of both teams. My second question is this. Does not the noble Lord agree that the willingness of all the West Indian representatives at this Conference to put aside and sink their differences for the sake of agreement promises well for the future of the British Caribbean Federation? And does not this also show, in his opinion, that they share a common British Caribbean outlook which will, it is to be hoped, at any rate at the proper 60 time, entitle the British Caribbean Federation to claim full and equal membership of the Commonwealth?
My third question is: Does not the noble Lord also agree that the thanks of Parliament are due in very large measure to the three Working Parties whose reports on the structure of the new Federation were the basis of the discussions that took place at the London Conference? They call themselves Commissions, but we sometimes call the same kind of body a Working Party. I refer to the Civil Service Commission, under the chairmanship of that distinguished ex-Colonial Governor, Sir Hilary Blood; the Judicial Commission, of which Sir Allan Chalmers Smith was chairman, and the Fiscal Commission, which did so much to draw up a possible basis for the finances of the Federation, under the chairmanship of the present principal of the University of Singapore, Sir Sydney Caine. Our thanks are due in very large measure—and I am sure that our West Indian friends would concur—to all these bodies which have helped with the preparatory work.
I ask the noble Lord, in conclusion, to say whether he does not think it is clear from what I have said that, while I welcome the promise of a Bill and the agreement to federate. I shall pause to consider whether I regard the support given by the Government to federation as adequate until I and my friends on this side of the House have had time to read the Report, which I am glad to hear the Government have decided to publish as a White Paper.

LORD LLOYD
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for his observations and for his kind congratulations to Her Majesty's Government. I feel that this is a matter on which we can all take a certain satisfaction. After all, let us not forget Mr. Creech Jones, who was then Colonial Secretary and a member of the Party opposite and who inaugurated this move. I feel this has been a bi-partisan effort which should be the basis of our colonial policy, and it is a great satisfaction that we can have something of this kind for which both Parties have worked and which has now finally been brought to a happy conclusion.
With regard to the noble Earl's remarks about the Working Parties, I agree fully with him that what they did was invaluable and, indeed, formed one of 61 the main bases of the agreement which was reached. With regard to his question about the future, again I would agree with him. The noble Earl was in touch with the Caribbean for a long time when he was at the Colonial Office. He knows that there were great differences between these territories on a number of matters, and the fact that they have come together, sunk their differences and sought com-promises is a very good augury for the future. What the future may bring it is not for me at this moment to say. This is a great step forward on the road to constitutional advance. Finally, I accept the noble Earl's reservation about the financial aspects of the Federation, but I hope that, when he has read the Report, he will consider that the contributions of Her Majesty's Government have been on a not ungenerous scale.

LORD REA
My Lords, referring to the Minister's reference to bi-partisan effort, may I add that it certainly has tri-partisan good will.