§ 2.42 p.m.
§ 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 what action has been taken by them on behalf of five British lecturers and three British students at Salisbury University College who have been detained or restricted by the illegal administration in Rhodesia.]
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, strong representations were made immediately to the appropriate officials in Salisbury by Mr. Hennings, the head of the British residual staff, for the release of the United Kingdom citizens for whom we are responsible, and, at the request of the Canadian Government, for the release of the Canadian lecturer. Mr.Hennings also asked for appropriate facilities to look after the interests of the detained persons. Deportation orders have now been served on all the detained lecturers. None of the restricted students is a United Kingdom citizen for whom we could act.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, in thanking my noble friend for that Answer, may I ask him this? Is this not an outrageous affront to Britain on two grounds: first, these are British citizens; and, secondly, we contribute £200,000 a year to this university? May I ask him whether he will, therefore, do two things? First, until there is a guarantee that there will be no intervention by this illegal Government in this international college of Salisbury, will talks with the civil servants of this illegal Government be suspended; and, secondly, will the contribution of £200,000 a year that we make be transferred, unless there is that guarantee, to the new university in Zambia and to the universities in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, to which these students could go?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, our financial support for this college is conditional upon the fact that it is, and continues to be, dedicated to the proposition that all men are equal and that it practices multiracial tolerance. That principle will guide us in any decision taken in the future so far as any further financial support is concerned. As to the first part of the noble Lord's question, I think it would be wrong, if the present position is as unsatisfactory as he states, for us not to use every possible avenue to try to resolve the present difficult situation.
§ LORD GRIMSTON OF WESTBURYMy Lords, has the noble Lord taken note that, whereas there can be public executions and the dastardly murder of Prime Ministers in other parts of Africa, the burning of the Palace of the Kabaka and so on, they elicit no protests from those who seem only anxious to force Rhodesia into a similar position?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I should have thought the fact that we—the noble Lord and I—happen to pride ourselves in belonging to a race of a certain colour, and which has certain standards, would encourage us to make all the more effort to try to ensure that those standards are not lowered in countries for which we have a special responsibility.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, is my noble friend aware (if, possibly, that question was directed to me) that I have protested against African Governments which have carried out these policies, just as strongly as I have protested against this illegal government in Rhodesia? Because I believe in personal liberty, I have done it wherever this behaviour has been practised.
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, I should like to ask the Government whether it is not the case that all questions in this House are asked of Her Majesty's Government, and no noble Lord has any right to attribute any question asked of the Government as a direct attack on himself, unless it is too patent for words?
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (THE EARL OF LONGFORD)My Lords, I am sure the noble Lord, Lord Saltoun, is correct in that.