§ 3.15 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy 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 action they will take to implement the recommendation in the Fourth Report of the Select Committee on Estimates that a Committee of Inquiry be set up to consider the establishment of a Commonwealth Advisory and Technical Service.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF PERTH)My Lords, the views of Her Majesty's Government on the various recommendations of the Select Committee are being prepared, but until these have been communicated to the Select Committee itself I do not think it would be right for me to make a statement upon any one of them.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl this supplementary question: does he not agree, having travelled so much himself overseas, that Her 'Majesty's Oversea Civil Service is running down because of the uncertainty that many officers feel about their future? Is it not therefore necessary, in considering the Select Committee's recommendations, that Her Majesty's Government should give careful consideration to the possibility of doing something more to induce these excellent officers to stay on in the Service, particularly in newly independent countries where administrative and technical officers are so badly needed?
§ THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, certainly I would agree that it is a matter of the greatest importance that we should do all we can to encourage the overseas civil servants to remain in the countries where they have been serving once those countries have become independent. The noble Earl will recollect 480 that towards the end of July we introduced new proposals in regard to Her Majesty's Oversea Civil Service to encourage those who were serving to remain.