§ LORD BROCKWAYMy 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 Rhodesian civil servants, members of the armed forces, police and postmen who decline to take an oath of allegiance to an illegal government, and who may be dismissed or imprisoned, have been guaranteed compensation, reinstatement and uninterrupted pension and other rights.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD WALSTON)My Lords, we are working urgently on suitable ways of helping any Rhodesian public servant who may lose his job through loyalty to the Crown and the legal Government.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer, may I ask whether he is aware that we appreciate that the Government have offered to meet any loss of pension rights? But would the Government consider that that is not adequate? Most of the African public servants have no pensions whatever, and the police action which is now threatened against the professors at the inter-racial college according to their letter in The Time this morning, indicates the need for some compensation for immediate loss?
§ LORD WALSTONMy Lords, the Government are well aware of the situation that my noble friend has outlined, and this is the reason why we are now working, as I say, urgently, on the rather complicated problem of how best to meet this serious situation.
VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDSMy Lords, would my noble friend confirm my impression that there is now no legal Government in Rhodesia, and, therefore, that nobody can legally dismiss these people from their jobs, and that they are still employed?
§ LORD WALSTONMy Lords, I think that is perfectly correct.