§ 2.38 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 whether Mr. Winston Field's statement that the Government have agreed that Southern Rhodesia should no longer be described as a "Colony" has any constitutional significance, and, if not, what is the purpose of the agreement.]
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS AND FOR THE COLONIES (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)My Lords, as my right honourable friend the Secretary of State said in replying to similar Questions on February 11 in another place, we usually 1101 try to avoid, so far as possible, the use of the term "Colony" when referring to territories which have reached an advanced stage of internal self-government. There is no constitutional significance in this nor is there any question of an agreement having been made. Mr. Field, during the recent discussions in London, mentioned that we had on some occasions departed from this practice in respect of Southern Rhodesia. He was assured that, if that were so, it was unintentional.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I am obliged to the noble Duke for his reply. May I ask him this question? When he says that no agreement was made, does that mean that there was no agreement or understanding by the Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Field, on this or any other matter during Mr. Winston Field's recent visit to this country? May I also ask him whether the Government would be prepared to publish a White Paper, or to make a statement in Parliament, relating to the terms of the offer which was made to Mr. Winston Field during his visit here, and which was referred to yesterday in Salisbury in the speech from the Throne as "most extravagant"?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, so far as the first part of the noble Earl's question is concerned, I may say that his interpretation is entirely correct. On the second part, these are very delicate negotiations and I should not like to commit my right honourable friend to the publication of a White Paper on this subject. So far as the question of an offer goes, I think that during the recent talks no more than general discussion took place, and there was no formal offer of any kind put forward to Mr. Field.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, may I remind the noble Duke that he has referred to negotiations'? Whatever negotiations may have taken place, they are now over, because it is quite clear that Mr. Winston Field has rejected whatever proposals Her Majesty's Government may have made. But may I also ask the noble Duke whether he does not agree that, as Southern Rhodesia is certainly the most important Commonwealth problem confronting Parliament at the present time, Parliament should be fully informed about the Government's 1102 policy and about any constitutional proposals relating to Southern Rhodesia which may have been put before the Southern Rhodesia Government?
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, I hope I have not misled the House. I intended to say that it was not a matter of negotiation but of conversation between Mr. Field and Ministers in this country.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, when are conversations negotiations and when are negotiations conversations? I should have thought that in general, contacts of this kind between important Ministers of State from both countries would have been too delicate to be negotiations. However, this is a very important question, and I hope that the noble Earl's Question to the Government this afternoon is going to get some better Answer than we have yet had this afternoon. If not, perhaps the best course would be to raise this matter in debate.
THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREMy Lords, I should like to associate myself with the noble Earl when he says that this is a very important matter. We on this side of the House are deeply conscious of the important and grave constitutional issues which are at stake, and it is for this reason that I should be very anxious not to say anything this afternoon which might prejudice them.