§ 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 initiate discussions with the Executive Council of the Virgin Islands regarding the future of the administration of the Islands.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that constitutional changes in a dependent territory should reflect the wishes of the population. Her Majesty's Government are willing to consider further constitutional advance for the British Virgin Islands on receipt of a formal request by the Legislative Council.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that reply, is it not the case that there has been a Petition, particularly on the subject of a decision to execute someone guilty of murder?—and in that case I have sympathy with the Governor. But is there not a much deeper reason for giving them more autonomy? Would Her Majesty's Government be prepared to accept the proposal that there should be a Commission on this subject under the chairmanship of a Virgin Islander?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, the Petition which was received calling for a new Constitution had about 1,500 signatures. It is hoped that the people who signed the Petition will make their views known to the Special Committee of the Legislative Council which was set up last year under the Speaker to consider possible constitutional reform, because public re- 506 plies to invitations for submissions to that Committee have apparently been very few.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that information.