§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what requests they have received from the Government of South Africa for the return to the Union of persons who have taken refuge in the Protectorates of Swaziland, Basutoland and Bechuanaland; and if they will make a Statement.]
THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (THE EARL OF HOME)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government have received no such requests. No doubt the noble Viscount has in mind recent Press reports of statements made in the South African House of Assembly. The High Commissioner was immediately asked to forward the official record and to seek from the South African Government an elucidation of what was said.
I want to make two points clear now. No negotiations are in progress with the South African Government on this subject. The border between the High Commission Territories and the Union is and always has been open, subject to the immigration laws in force from time to time. A small number of people have arrived in the Territories from the Union in recent weeks. Some of these have said that they have come for political reasons. It is not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to compel them to return to the Union on political grounds, though your Lordships will recognise that the question of return to answer criminal charges would be a matter for the courts.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am sure the 1056 House is greatly indebted to the noble Earl the Leader of the House, and may I say in this case the Secretary of State, for the Answer he has given to the Question. I hope that we may know the results of the elucidation he is seeking of the statements unfortunately made in South Africa by Ministers in South Africa and that these may help us to get a better understanding later on.