§ 3.32 p.m.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD DILHORNE)My Lords, it may be convenient to the House if I repeat a statement which is now being made by my right honourable friend the First Secretary of State in another place on the subject of Central Africa. I will use his own words. They are as follows:
"I should like to inform honourable Members that I am laying to-morrow, prior to the debate which will take place on Thursday on the Rhodesia 1309 and Nyasaland Bill, a White Paper containing the full report of the Conference at Victoria Falls. I am glad to inform the House that all the Governments concerned reached agreed conclusions on the next steps to be taken in Central Africa not only in respect of the orderly dissolution of the Federation but for the future collaboration of the Territories.
"I should like to record my gratitude to all the delegations who took part in the Conference for the co-operative spirit in which they considered the difficult problems with which we were concerned. Her Majesty's Government look forward to the continuing assistance of all the Governments in Central Africa in the constructive work of the next six months."
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, we are much obliged to the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor for giving us this statement. There is nothing much that I want to say about it to-day, although I daresay that other noble Lords may be more controversial on these questions than I should be. We really know nothing of substance until we get the White Paper to-morrow. When we have studied it, I take it that there will be a date fixed by Her Majesty's Government for introducing the necessary legislation and that it will be before the adjournment for the Summer Recess. If that is so, I should like it to be made clear to us that there will be adequate time given to Parliament to discuss the White Paper and the Bill. While I am pleased to know from this statement that the Government think that there was a good atmosphere and agreement on certain points at the Conference, I know there is likely to be controversial matters arising out of the White Paper and the Bill, and we must have adequate time to discuss them. I hope that this can be arranged through the usual channels.
LORD REAMy Lords, not for the first time, the noble Earl has taken the words out of my mouth. I was going to say that in view of the opening words of the statement that the White Paper is to be laid to-morrow, it is hardly necessary for us to-day to take any further notice of it except to hope for an opportunity of discussing it. At the same time, I think that all of us would like to 1310 welcome the aura of success which seems to have arisen in some considerable degree from the visit to the African territories of the First Secretary of State.
§ LORD COLYTONMy Lords, I am sorry to have to strike a discordant note in the congratulations which have greeted the First Secretary of State's return from Victoria Falls, but should we not rather be expressing our shame and indignation to-day at the destruction of the Federation and the sacrifice of the interests of millions of moderate Africans, as well as of Europeans? Of course it would be quite unfair to blame Mr. Butler alone for this. The process started at least two years before he came on to the Central African scene. But could not my noble friend on the Woolsack say one word of regret at the impending demise of this multiracial Federation, which was one of the outstanding achievements of Sir Winston Churchill's Government, of which my noble and learned friend himself was a distinguished member?
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, I should like to support what has been said by my noble friend Lord Colyton. I was astonished at the smug satisfaction of the statement which has been made to us by the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor. One would have thought that the Government had achieved a great success. What they are doing is registering a complete and deplorable failure. I do not pretend that I think that the First Secretary of State was mainly to blame for this. Frankly, I put the main blame on the Prime Minister. Ever since the "Wind of change" Speech, the Government have been engaged, though not openly, in a policy of scuttle in Africa, and this is one of the main milestones in that policy. Time will, I hope, be given for us to discuss this matter more fully. I recognise that it is not possible now to put the clock back—you never can in politics; you never can in life. But the fact remains that we had a great mission in Africa, and to my mind the present Government have run away from it.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I regret the observations made by the noble Lord, Lord Colyton, and by the noble Marquess, Lord Salisbury. The fact is that the dissolution of the Federation has not come about at the 1311 wish of Her Majesty's Government, but on account of the political realities of the situation, which must be appreciated. I should have thought that everyone would welcome the successful conclusion of this difficult Conference, which alone holds out hope for the future for all the peoples in those territories.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, may I, with respect, ask my noble friend Lord Colyton to call to mind what I think is a fact—namely, that the Federation idea was born in the mind of Mr. Griffiths, the Labour Colonial Secretary; that it went quite a long way under the Labour Government, and was then consummated by Mr. Winston Churchill's Government. Therefore, there is a tradition of bi-partisanship in this matter and I think it is a pity that we should depart from this.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I thought that somebody might acknowledge our request for adequate Parliamentary time to discuss the White Paper and the Bill, when it is produced.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)My Lords, it is always difficult, when the main statement is being made by my noble and learned friend on the Woolsack, for the Leader of the House to take part in exchanges. Of course I take note of what the noble Earl said. I cannot tell him at this stage what our plans are; I have not had a chance of discussing this with my right honourable friend.