HL Deb 02 April 1974 vol 350 cc806-7

2.54 p.m.

LORD BROCKWAY

My 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 decisions they have made on the recommendations of the all-Party Commons Committee on the practices of British firms in South Africa.

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, my noble friend the Chief Whip indicated in reply to our debate on March 14 that we welcome this Report. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister said in another place on March 21 that he had asked the Ministers concerned to study it as a matter of urgency and that he expected that the Government would soon be in a position to announce action to give effect to its recommendations.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, in thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask whether this consideration will include the recommendation that the Departments of Trade and Industry should prepare a code of advice to British companies in South Africa, first to obtain a living standard for the African workers, and second, for encouragement of their trade unions?

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, I have said that Her Majesty's Government have given a general and warm welcome to the Report and its recommendations. The code to which my noble friend refers is indeed an admirably comprehensive statement of the matters to which any conscientious employer should have regard. I am quite certain that the question of the most effective way of commending its adoption to British firms is uppermost in the minds of Ministers.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, may I put to the Minister what I recognise is a rather unusual question? Are the Government appreciative of the fact that exposure of the conditions in South Africa was largely due to Adam Raphael of the Guardian, who has probably done more to lift standards of life in South Africa than all the campaigners and all the campaign organisations? And will the Government make some recognition of that by a tribute to him?

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, I cannot of course respond to the invitation at the end of my noble friend's observations; namely, to make some recognition, or say anything on that point. But I join with him, as I am sure the House would generally, in paying tribute to the efforts of this very conscientious journalist in exposing these facts.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, as the Minister's first reply appears to give indication that the Government themselves are taking part in this connection, as against what was not Governmental but Parliamentary' investigation, is it to be understood now that the Government themselves intend to instigate inquiries of this kind in other countries, particularly African countries, regarding rates of pay which are the internal business of those countries?

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

Not necessarily, my Lords. It has not been our direct practice in the past. The position is that as the Trade and Industry Sub-Committee have reported to the House, the Government take due note of what they have recommended and, as I have said, give a general and warm welcome to their recommendations.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, it is intended to confine such activities in the internal affairs of other countries to South Africa, or is it to be extended to other countries, in Africa or elsewhere?

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, I think that that question is somewhat hypothetical, but it might be helpful if I said that the Sub-Committee recommended certain codes which the Government will seek ways of commending to employers.