§ 2.44 p.m.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy 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 conclusions were reached regarding the future of Anguilla at the Bridgetown conference of the High Commissioners of Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana and Barbados with Mr. William Whitlock (Under-Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and Mr. Anthony Lee (British representative in the discussions with St. Kitts).]
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, the conference to which the noble Lord refers was a routine meeting in Barbados of United Kingdom Government representatives in the Commonwealth Caribbean countries. It was not, in fact, a meeting of the High Commissioners of the Caribbean Commonwealth countries. As noble Lords are aware, the proceedings of such meetings are not normally made public. I can, however, say that the purpose of the conference was to enable my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to meet our diplomatic representatives in the area and to exchange views with them. Anguilla was only one of several subjects discussed.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer, may I ask him this question? Is it not the case that Anguilla is now the most dominant issue in the Caribbean? Is it not the case that the Under-Secretary was taking the proposals from that conference to Anguilla when he met with the treatment which we all very much resent? Is my noble friend aware of the very great disquiet occasioned by the imminent military and naval intervention in Anguilla, and will not the Government seek another way? Might not this matter be referred to the Commonwealth Secretariat to try to bring about an agreement by diplomatic means?
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, I hope my noble friend will bear with me if I say that, with the leave of your Lordships' House, I will defer further answers on this subject until I reply to a Private Notice Question which I understand is to be asked later this afternoon. I 689 entirely understand that the question of Anguilla has become very topical, but I trust that my noble friend will have patience for a while, when I hope that his curiosity may be to some extent satisfied.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether he is aware that of course my patience will be satisfied? May I ask him another question which is not so related to the immediate situation? Would Her Majesty's Government look again at this problem of the smaller islands, and think in terms of some United Nations Commission which might deal in a co-ordinated economic way with their needs, scattered as they are all over the world?
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, we in the new, merged Foreign and Commonwealth Office are very much aware of the problems of the remaining dependent territories to which my noble friend has made reference, and we have their future and their best interests constantly under review.
VISCOUNT GOSCHENMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Carrington, I beg leave to ask Her Majesty's Government the Question of which he has given Private Notice. The Question is:
"To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a statement on the situation in Anguilla".
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, as I have just indicated in answer to my noble friend Lord Brockway, I will, with leave, answer this Question at a convenient moment after 3.30 p.m.