HL Deb 16 March 1967 vol 281 cc424-6

3.25 p.m.

LORD BARNBY

My 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 alternative government for South-West Africa can logically be contemplated in view of the declaration of the British representative at the United Nations that the Republic of South Africa had forfeited any right to administer that territory, having regard to the facts that:

  1. (a) The Port of Walvis Bay through which 90 per cent. of the 425 outward and inward ocean bound traffic passes is in South African territory and never formed part of the original mandate, and no alternative port exists;
  2. (b) All internal railway rolling stock is owned by the Republic of South Africa; and
  3. (c) The risk of starvation amongst the black African population would arise.]

LORD WALSTON

My Lords, the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on South-West Africa is at present studying alternative forms of Government for South-West Africa. The report of this Committee is likely to be published in the near future.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, arising out of the noble Lord's reply, which appears to do little to alleviate the unfortunate effect of the statement made by the British representative at the United Nations, is the noble Lord not aware that the South African Government have gone quite clearly on record that they would only surrender their responsibility for the area by force? To reinforce that view, may I remind the noble Lord of the words attributed to the Prime Minister of South Africa, that any attempt to end his country's control over South-West Africa would be a war of aggression?

Is the noble Lord also aware that the South African Foreign Minister is reported in the Press as having said that: South Africa would resist with all the powers at its disposal any attempts which endanger the safety of peoples committed to our charge".

LORD WALSTON

My Lords, I am well aware of all the views expressed by the South African Government, and I would recommend the noble Lord to await the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee for the special Session of the General Assembly in April.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he could give me a reply to the first two points in my Question, because he is suggesting some action which is quite outside the realms of practical possibility.

LORD WALSTON

My Lords, I did not reply to the first two points of the noble Lord's Question because they were not in fact questions but statements of fact of which I am well aware.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, then perhaps the noble Earl the Leader of the House will make some comment on this. I think it has been customary in our House to assume that in any Question where the facts mentioned must essentially form part of that Question, it has become habitual to so regard it.

THE, EARL OF LONGFORD

My Lords, the noble Lord is appealing to me, but I will not venture to pass an opinion, except to say that I thought the noble Lord, Lord Barnby, was rather straining the use of Question Time. I should not like to say more than that.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, it is merely a matter of procedure and again, with due respect, the noble Earl shied off the reply. May I ask him to deal with that aspect of it?

THE EARL OF LONGFORD

My Lords, the noble Lord is asking me a question, and I do not think I can refuse to answer. I do not quite know what the question is, but I can only repeat that I thought the noble Lord was going rather further than is usual in Question Time.

LORD SALTOUN

My Lords, is it not usual to find that Questions which are not palatable to Her Majesty's Government are considered to be straining the use of Question Time? I am bound to say that I do not see anything other than that in what the noble Earl the Leader of the House has just said.

THE EARL OF LONGFORD

My Lords, these things are very much a matter of judgment, but I think that if any Member of the House, and in particular an experienced Member like the noble Lord, Lord Saltoun, reads what the noble Lord, Lord Barnby, said in Question Time, he should ask himself whether Question Time would work if everybody asked questions in that form. I think he would agree that it would not.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, when I have taken the advice of the Table with regard to forming another Question on these points, will the noble Earl be willing to answer it?

THE EARL OF LONGFORD

My Lords, the answer is, of course, that there is no restriction on Questions at all.