HL Deb 18 December 1967 vol 287 cc1268-70
LORD MILVERTON

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stand, in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they agree with the statement of the Chief Justice of the West Indian Associated States in November of this year deploring the fact that the Government of St. Kitts had introduced a resolution in the House of Assembly expressing lack of confidence in the administration of justice, in the midst of a series of trials of persons accused upon charges alleged to be concerned with an attempt to overthrow the existing Government; whether they are aware that the resolution and subsequent debate followed immediately upon verdicts of acquittal by the jury in the first two of three trials; and whether they have made any protest to the Government of St. Kitts against the arbitrary denial of ordinary civil rights of defence to accused persons in St. Kitts and the use of arbitrary orders of deportation, and if not why not.]

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, the matters referred to in the resolution of the House of Assembly and in the statement of the Chief Justice and the civil rights of defence of accused persons are all matters relating to the administration of justice in the Associated State of St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla. Her Majesty's Government have no responsibility for the administration of justice in the State.

LORD MILVERTON

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for the trouble he has taken to evade the Question which I was trying to ask him, may I ask a supplementary question? It is a fact that Her Majesty's Government are at present subsidising the Government of St. Kitts to the extent of something like £1 million West Indian dollars a year? And if that is correct, and if the stories which are circulating from one end of the West Indies to the other about the gross subversion of civil liberties in that country are correct, does it not present to the world a picture of the British Government openly subsidising the subversion of civil liberties in a former Colony?

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, I did not evade the Question; I answered the Question. The noble Lord, if he doubts it, has only to read the West Indies Act 1967. Her Majesty's Government have no responsibility for the internal proceedings of the State of St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla. We give aid to that territory, but that is what we undertook to do, and I am quite sure that in time that country will make progress and that much of the point of criticism in the noble Lord's Question will have disappeared.

LORD MILVERTON

My Lords, with due respect, may I ask a further supplementary question? Am I to understand that the principle is that the British Government, in giving subsidiary aid to a former Colony, does not consider itself in any way concerned with the way that Colony is administrated, and that, however badly it may controvert all our principles, we shall continue to supply aid in that form?

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government have undertaken to give aid and assistance to the state of St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla, as we have given aid to many other countries. The problems to which the noble Lord refers are difficult ones. If the noble Lord will look at all the information which is available, he will see that many of the problems arise from both sides of the political spectrum in that country. I think it would be wrong, particularly at this stage when there is a Parliamentary mission out in that part of the world seeking reconciliation, for this matter to be pursued.

LORD SALTOUN

My Lords, may I ask Her Majesty's Government whether the present embarrassment of Her Majesty's Government would not have been considerably eased if they had taken the same line in the beginning with the Republic of South Africa as they are now taking with St. Kitts?

VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDS

My Lords, will my noble friend not confirm that it is the principle of Her Majesty's Government to grant-aid not only Commonwealth but also non-Commonwealth countries, with no intention of interfering, either by any grant-aiding or withholding of aid, in the internal affairs of such countries?

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, the purpose of aid by this country over many years has been to grant-aid and to give assistance to the people of that country.