§ 2.58 p.m.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper. In doing so, in view of the personal statement by the noble Lord, Lord Belhaven and Stenton, may I say that as a matter of courtesy I informed him of this Question; but I made it clear to him that I was 1:0 make no reference to the charges against him.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will draw the attention 166 of the Commonwealth Secretariat to the article in the Daily Mail of 11th February giving details of a plan by an American syndicate to take over the island of Abaco in the Bahamas and to turn it into a millionaires' resort under an independent administration, thereby destroying self-government.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)My Lords, the Bahamas is an independent State, and questions affecting its territorial integrity are entirely for its own Government to consider. The Commonwealth Secretariat has no executive function and cannot interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking the Minister, as usual, for that Answer, may I ask him this question? While the Commonwealth Secretariat has no executive authority, has it not the authority, in the interest of Commonwealth nations, to draw their attention to occasions when very serious objective charges are made against one part of their territories?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSNo, my Lords, the Commonwealth Secretariat has no such authority. It is not for it to report on one member-State to another in the Commonwealth.
§ Lord SLATERMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that if what is to be inferred from my noble friend's supplementary question were so, it would do away with the independence which has been granted to the Bahamas?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I think that is self-evident. I am grateful to my noble friend for pointing it out.
§ Lord MAELORMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that a wealthy Englishman is to take over the island of Bardsey in Wales to turn it into a millionaires' resort, under an independent administration, thereby destroying self-government? I would remind my noble friend that until recently—
§ Noble Lords: Order‡
§ Lord MAELORIs my noble friend aware that until recently there was a 167 King in this island, King Pritchard, and that the people there did not even pay rates; they had total self-government, and no luncheon vouchers?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I am well aware of these very important constitutional facts. I am also relieved to hear there are a few wealthy Englishmen left and that they propose to spend their wealth in Wales.