§ 2.49 p.m.
§ LORD ROWLEYMy 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 representations have been received from the Prime Minister of St. Kitts with regard to the situation in the Caribbean island of Anguilla.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (LORD BESWICK)My Lords, the Premier of St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla informed Her Majesty's Government of the situation in Anguilla on May 30. His message stated among other things that the majority of the police detachment of 13 had left Anguilla and the airstrip had been blocked, thus preventing the Chief of Police from landing. A grave threat to the authority of Government existed and the Government's resources of police were totally inadequate. The Premier asked for the assistance of policemen or soldiers in the task of restoring law and order in Anguilla. We are at present discussing all aspects of this situation with the Deputy Premier, who has come to London at the Premier's request, and with other Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean.
§ LORD ROWLEYMy Lords, can my noble friend indicate the source of the trouble in this island? Do they have a measure of self-government? Is the trouble economic or constitutional? What is causing the trouble?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, first may I thank my noble friend for withdrawing his Question on Monday, when we heard that the Deputy Premier was coming. It was hoped that discussions with him would have been completed by now, but I am sorry to have to say that they are still going on.
The trouble about which the noble Lord asks stems from a general fear that the island will be neglected by the central Government of the new Associated State now that the authority of the United Kingdom has been removed. It is therefore, basically, an economic fear. But there is a particular fear, which was in fact expressed at the time we had discussions on the Bill in this House, that arrangements for local government agreed upon at the London Conference in May, 1966, would not be put into practice.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, has the noble Lord given all the information we need in this matter? Is it not a fact that firing has broken out at St. Kitts itself, that virtual martial law has been declared, and that the guard of a power station has been injured by machine-gun fire from what some people call terrorists, whoever they may be? Is it not a fact, too, that the Prime Minister may need police and troops not only for Anguilla but for his own island, St. Kitts?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, the Question I answered was, of course, the one on the Order Paper. So far as the situation in St. Kitts is concerned, it is true that a situation has developed there since Mr. Southwell arrived here: there was an outbreak of firing on the Sunday night. It may well be that some assistance will be required there, and that matter we are also considering.
THE EARL OF MANSFIELDMy Lords, will Her Majesty's Government consider the advisability of sending out a delegation to St. Kitts and the island of Anguilla so as to determine the real causes of the trouble and what the grievances are, and whether they are genuine?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I am not sure that that would be the best way of dealing with this problem. Possibly a more hopeful line of approach would be to get some of the other Caribbean Governments in the area to consider the situation, and we are in fact in consultation with them at the present time. If their good offices are proffered we, for our part, shall be happy to avail ourselves of them.
LORD FARINGDONMy Lords, I wonder whether the noble Lord has seen reports in some papers to the effect that, apart from the ejection of the police, there has been no deterioration of law and order in Anguilla.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, it is perfectly true that, the 13 police having left, the remainder of the island seem to be governing their affairs quite well.
§ LORD ROWLEYMy Lords, would my noble friend consider giving me a fuller answer if I put down a Question next week? Does he consider that discussions will be over by then?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I should certainly hope so, and I shall be glad to give any more information available.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, would the noble Lord consider giving information on a wider field, as I said before. Is it not a fact that to treat this one island, Anguilla, where there is peace at the moment, in isolation is to mislead the House, because the real flare-up at the moment is in St. Kitts, not Anguilla.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, with respect I think the noble Lord is mistaken. There was an associated Government established there of the three islands. There was difficulty at the time in Anguilla, which wanted a measure of local government. This local government was promised to them. So far, the machinery for local government in Anguilla has not been established. We should like to see it established as quickly as possible, and the discussions, to which my noble friend referred, relate to that separate problem on that separate island. If the noble Lord cares to put a question down about St. Kitts I shall be glad to answer it.
THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, can the noble Lord confirm that we have 919 no residual responsibility for internal security at all?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, our responsibility is for external affairs.