§ 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 whether the discussions they have had with the Deputy Premier of St. Kitts are now complete, and whether they can make a statement.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (LORD BESWICK)My Lords, the Deputy Premier has left for New York on other business, but hopes to return by the week-end. 1543 There will then be an opportunity for further discussion. Her Majesty's Government are very much aware of the internal security problems facing the Premier of St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla. Firearms have been used in St. Kitts, but our understanding is that only two men have been injured. The problem, I must make clear, is one of internal security, and not a responsibility of Her Majesty's Government under the constitutional arrangements of the Associated States. But at the request of the Premier we have consulted the neighbouring Commonwealth Governments in the Caribbean. There has been no agreement to provide police reinforcements, but they and we are still hopeful that ways will be found which are acceptable to the Premier of St. Kitts by which the good offices of neighbouring Commonwealth Governments can be used to find a solution to these problems and permit the peaceful restoration of law and order.
§ LORD ROWLEYMy Lords, is it not the fact that my noble friend stated, when he replied to a Question some days ago, that the main source of trouble was the failure of the Central Government to establish local government in the island of Anguilla? Would that not be part of the original agreement made between the Central Government and Her Majesty's Government, and to that extent is it not something that is of concern to, and the responsibility of, Her Majesty's Government?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I agree with what my noble friend has said, except that since I answered my noble friend's previous Question we are dealing with difficulties both in St. Kitts and in the island of Anguilla, and to that extent the problem has become more complicated. So far as the original problem is concerned, it is quite true that I said that a source of trouble was the insistence by the Anguilla Government that there should be a local authority with a measure of local responsibility. The original intention was that the local authority should be instituted by November of this year. The Premier of St. Kitts said that he will institute this local government by that time, but the people of Anguilla said that they wanted it before the end of the year. That is what is causing part of the present difficulties.
EARL JELLICOEMy Lords, since Her Majesty's Government, rightly, recognise this to be an internal matter for the three islands, can the noble Lord tell us whether steps are being taken to stop the supply of any arms to these three islands during the present disturbances? May I also ask a particular question? Can he confirm reports that a United Kingdom citizen, Mr. James Milne-Gaskell has been arrested and is being held in detention without, so far as I know, any charge being preferred? Can the noble Lord assure us that an official from the neighbouring United Kingdom High Commission will be able to visit Mr. Milne-Gaskell?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, with regard to the first part of the Question, I have no knowledge of a difficulty about the running of arms in either St. Kitts or Anguilla. I made some inquiries because I had heard through other sources that the noble Earl was going to put a question about arms. The only difficulty I can find is that of the local police in their securing supplies of arms. That difficulty I hope we can help them to overcome. With regard to Mr. Milne-Gaskell, I may say that he was arrested on Sunday, June 11. In reply to inquiries, a British Government representative was informed that he had been allowed to see his lawyer, who reported that he was well and was being well treated. We pressed for him to be charged or released. On June 17 Mr. Milne-Gaskell was given the grounds for his detention. These were:
That you, James Milne-Gaskell, during the year 1967, both within and outside the State encouraged civil disobedience throughout the State, thereby endangering peace, public safety and public order of the State.We have asked that Mr. Milne-Gaskell should be brought before a tribunal as early as possible so that the charges can be either substantiated or withdrawn.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, did the noble Lord say that they were overcoming the difficulties about police arms in these islands? Does that mean that Her Majesty's Government are either supplying or selling them?
§ LORD BESWICKI did not say that we were overcoming them. I said there was a difficulty experienced by the Government of St. Kitts in providing their own police with suitable firearms.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, do Her Majesty's Government recognise that the police must have arms? If so, will the Government sell them?
§ LORD BESWICKWe have offered to assist them in overcoming this difficulty.
EARL JELLICOEMy Lords, I should like to express my gratitude to the noble Lord for the information about the United Kingdom citizen. Would it not be desirable, in view of the somewhat political implications behind the charges which I understand have been preferred against him, for a British official to visit him as well as the lawyer to whom he has had access?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I quite agree. The British Government representative, whose headquarters are in St. Lucia, has gone, under instructions, to St. Kitts to look after the interests of United Kingdom "belongers" there.