HL Deb 23 June 1969 vol 303 cc3-4

2.38 p.m.

LORD BROCKWAY

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what conclusions have been reached regarding the future of Anguilla.]

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, as my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said in another place on May 23 he had had a series of useful discussions with the Premier of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla during the latter's recent visit to London, on the setting up of a Commission to study the Anguilla problem in the light of constitutional and other factors and to make recommendations leading to a satisfactory and durable solution. It was agreed that the Commission will be appointed later in the year. The terms of reference of the Commission have been placed in the Library of the House.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, again thanking my noble friend for his reply, may I ask what progress has been made since May 23? Could my noble friend say whether the police and military personnel from Britain are still on the Island; secondly, and, whether there has been any suggestion of the appointment of a Caribbean High Commissioner there?

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, the police and military are still in Anguilla and will remain there as long as it is considered necessary. But as my noble friend will know, the Royal Engineers in particular are doing a useful civil operation in the Island. So far as the appointment of a High Commissioner for the area is concerned, this is something that we undertook to consider. Naturally we are still considering the matter, but we prefer to await the outcome of the Commission to which I have just referred, once it has been set up and has reported.