§ 2.4 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will hold a conference to revise the Constitution of Northern Rhodesia.]
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD DILHORNE)My Lords, it is too soon to say when further discussions or a conference with regard to a Constitution for Northern Rhodesia will take place. The Conference which it is proposed to convene next month in Africa, under the chairmanship of my right honourable friend the First Secretary, will be considering the problem of the dissolution of the Federation and associated problems. My right honourable friend feels that progress should be made on these problems, and then we can carry further discussions on the Northern Rhodesia Constitution.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, may I ask the noble and learned Lord whether the Government are aware that, according to a statement he made only yesterday when passing through London, the Premier of Northern Rhodesia, Mr. Kaunda, is expecting a new Constitution in the late autumn? Is the noble and learned Lord not also aware that a serious situation may arise in Northern Rhodesia if the delay in holding a constitutional conference is so considerable that there is no reasonable prospect of another Constitution before the end of the year?
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, the Northern Rhodesian Ministers who visited London in March made it 710 clear that they wanted an early constitutional conference. My right honourable friend the First Secretary accepted the need for further discussion about the Constitution, but, for the reasons which I have given, made no commitment about when this might be.