§ Lord BARNBYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are prepared, in view of the closing of the British Mission in Rhodesia, to compensate holders of British passports in that country for expenses incurred in necessary travel to British Embassies or Consulates outside Rhodesia.]
§ The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Shepherd)No, my Lords, the closing of a United Kingdom post in one part of the world is never ground for meeting the expenses of British subjects in their resort to another.
§ Lord BARNBYMy Lords, arising out of that reply, may I ask the noble Lord whether the assumption would be right that it is not the intention that the conventional course should be followed? Is not the conventional course, when Britain finds herself anywhere without diplomatic or consular representation, to place the matter in the hands of a friendly Power? Is that not the intention with regard to Salisbury?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, I am sure that the noble Lord, Lord Barnby, will know that we have never had a consular post in Rhodesia. Since U.D.I. we have had a Residual Mission, which has performed certain functions but it has not been in any way in the same class as a consular post.
§ Lord BARNBYMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether that Mission was not able to deal with consular matters, if they were urgent? And would 462 the noble Lord give an indication of what is to be the procedure when a passport is needed? Must the individual go outside the confines of Rhodesia? If, as is suggested, he has to go to Pretoria, who bears the cost of the journey from Salisbury to Pretoria?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, I think that the last question was answered in my original reply. As a consequence of the results of the referendum, the Mission has now been closed and this means inconvenience and added cast to those who desire to get a passport, because that must now be obtained through our Consulate in Pretoria.
§ Lord HANKEYMy Lords, will the Minister bear in mind that there is hardly anywhere in the world where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not in a position to protect British interests? Will he kindly see that a study is made of whether something can be done to ensure that British interests are protected in this territory, in spite of our disagreement with those who at present claim to rule there? Will he also see that political information is available to Her Majesty's Government should any changes occur or start in that country which might make it possible to effect a reconciliation?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, a study is in fact now taking place. I know that the noble Lord will have received a letter about this from me, in reply to a supplementary question he asked the other day. The fact is that the Residual Mission in Rhodesia provided little, if any, support for British residents in Rhodesia. The Mission was not of a consular character. As to further communications or contact with the régime in Salisbury, there are ways and means by which that can be achieved without a Residual Mission.
§ The Marquess of SALISBURYMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether the proposals of the referendum have yet been passed into law in Rhodesia?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, the referendum showed clearly what were the wishes of the people of Rhodesia and Mr. Smith himself said that there was no going back on that decision. But the decision made by Her Majesty's Government was made in the light of the result of the referendum.
§ The Marquess of SALISBURYMy Lords, the noble Lord has not answered my question. Have these proposals yet been put into law in Rhodesia?
§ Lord SHEPHERDNot as yet, my Lords.
§ The Marquess of SALISBURYMy Lords, would it not be better to wait until they were?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, we discussed this subject on the Statement I made the other day. I should not have thought that it comes within the context of the Question that is on the Order Paper.