§ 2.49 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 whether they will make representations to the Government of Lesotho for the release of Mr. Mokhehle, the Opposition Leader, who is understood to have won the last election in that country.]
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, the answer to the noble Lord's Question is, "No". Her Majesty's Government have no locus standi to make representations on Mr. Mokhehle's behalf, and to do so would depart from our policy of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other Commonwealth countries.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking the Minister for that Answer, may I ask him whether he can recollect that after the election in Lesotho, when the Government cancelled the results, Her Majesty's Government withdrew for a time aid to that country? In view of the fact that aid has now been renewed, and that British officers have been seconded to Lesotho service, are there not grounds for making some representations that the Leader of the Opposition in Lesotho, who has been in detention since the election, should now be released?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, on the general point I do not think I can add to what I said in my original Answer. As the noble Lord will appreciate, the restoration of aid which followed on the recognition of the Government of Lesotho was of course dependent on the criteria for recognition; and to depart from our policy of non-intervention and use aid to influence internal political developments in any other Commonwealth country would, I think, be unacceptable.