§ 2.36 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they can now give the terms of reference and the composition of the Committee which is being set up by them in relation to the membership of the legal profession in East Africa; and whether they will, as a matter of urgency, set up a committee to make the necessary recommendations and detailed proposals so that a school of law and of public administration may be established at an early date in East Africa.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF PERTH)My Lords, the terms of reference of the Committee will follow closely the recommendations set out on page 52 of the Report of the Conference on the Future of Law in Africa. The noble Lord, Lord Denning, has accepted an invitation to be Chairman of the Committee.
§ THE EARL OF PERTHWith regard to the second part of the Question, my right honourable friend is not disposed at this stage to set up a separate Committee to proceed as the noble Lord proposes. As I informed the noble Lord on July 11, a proposal to establish a faculty of law at a university institution in East Africa is at present under consideration.
As regards the last part of the noble Lord's Question, an attempt to provide courses in public administration at Makerere some four years ago failed for 646 lack of sufficient students with the required qualifications. However, one of the most difficult problems before us in East Africa just now is how to lit local people to take more responsible posts in the Administration. This is something which every territory has continuously under review; indeed there was a meeting earlier this year in London of all African Colonial territories for precisely this purpose. I will certainly see that the noble Lord's suggestion is brought to the notice of Governors in East Africa, who will no doubt consider it in connection with the expansion of their existing training schemes.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, while thanking the noble Earl for that Answer and expressing my great pleasure at the news that the noble and learned Lord, Lord Denning, is to be Chairman of the Committee referred to by the noble Earl, I would ask whether it is possible that Lord Denning's Committee might investigate the possibility of setting up a school of law and of public administration in East Africa.
§ THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, I do not think that at this stage I should like to anticipate just what might be the terms of reference of the Committee. But I would recall again to your Lordships that this question of a school of law in East Africa is, at this very moment, under consideration by the university authorities there.