§ 2.6 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will hold a conference to discuss further constitutional advance in Malta.]
THE MINISTER OF STATE, COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS OFFICE (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)My Lords, as my right honourable friend announced after his talks with the Maltese Prime Minister last December, an independence conference will be held as soon as the necessary preparatory steps have been taken. Noble Lords will be aware that my right honourable friend is planning to visit Malta for a few days during the Whitsun Recess, and I have no doubt that he will discuss with the Maltese Prime Minister questions concerning the convening of the conference.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I am very glad indeed to hear from the noble Duke that the Secretary of State is going to Malta over Whitsun and will discuss this matter of a constitutional conference. May I ask him these two questions? First of all, will the Maltese Opposition Party, the Labour Party, as well as the Government Party, be invited to attend this conference on a new Constitution for Malta? Secondly, do the Government agree, in view of our policy in Africa, that economic viability should no longer be regarded as a condition of independence for Malta?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, as regards the first part of the noble Earl's question, I think this is a matter for discussion between the Prime Minister of Malta and my right honourable friend. The terms of this conference have yet to be decided, the agenda has 711 yet to be composed, and the composition of the delegation and who will be represented in it are matters for discussion and no doubt will be discussed in the next week or so. As regards the second question, whether economic viability should be a condition of independence, this seems to go rather wider than the terms of the printed Question. Without wishing to evade the issue, I think I can say that it poses a different question from that set down by the noble Earl.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMay I ask this further supplementary question? I hope that the noble Duke will remind the Secretary of State that when we had the Round Table Conference on a Constitution for Malta after the war, both Parties, the Labour Party as well as the Party of Mr. Borg Olivier, were represented at the Conference. Surely this is to be taken as a precedent. It would be most unfair not to invite the Labour Party in Malta to attend this conference. May I say that I entirely sympathise with the noble Duke's dilemma over the second question that I put?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, I am most grateful for the kind treatment I have received from the noble Earl. As regards the first point, I would certainly agree that at every constitutional conference all reflections of political opinion ought to be represented. But I think it would not be proper far me to make a statement at this stage on who exactly will be represented at this conference, when discussions are to be held in the immediate future.