§ 2.42 p.m.
Lord BRUCE of DONINGTONMy 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 are now prepared to institute an official inquiry into the wages and living conditions in India and Sri Lanka of the manual employees of British companies under their subsidiary or associated companies conducting tea planting operations in those two countries.
The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord GoronwyRoberts)My Lords, the Governments of India and Sri Lanka are responsible for making regulations affecting employment conditions in their respective countries. As to the recent "World In Action" programme, my right honourable friend has asked for comments from the Ceylon Association in London, which represents British plantation interests in Sri Lanka. He has also invited his colleagues, who will be taking part in the International Parliamentary Union conference in Colombo, to look into the conditions on tea estates in Sri Lanka. He has also spoken to the Sri Lanka Deputy Minister of Agriculture, who is now visiting this country, about the general situation of tea estates in Sri Lanka.
Lord BRUCE of DONINGTONMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for his constructive reply. In view of the fact that British companies which I have approached in relation to the Question have agreed that they would like to participate in an inquiry, would not a Select Committee be the best medium of making a completely impartial inquiry? Would my noble friend agree that the "World In Action " programme and War on Want have done a singular public 1095 service in bringing to the attention of the public the appalling conditions that exist on the tea plantations in India and Ceylon?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, my noble friend has displayed fairmindedness in the way he has approached this Question by providing me—and I appreciate this very much—with both material critical of certain practices, and material reflecting some credit on certain companies. He is quite right in suggesting that well-balanced and factual documentaries, as produced by both television channels in this country, are a great help in enabling public opinion to come to a fair appraisal of a question. With regard to my noble friend's first point, he and the House will be aware that there is a proposal that a Parliamentary Select Committee should be set up to investigate this matter. It is of course for Parliament to decide, but I have no doubt that if such a Committee were set up and made a report my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade would give its conclusions most careful consideration, as indeed he did, with some effect, in the recent analagous— though not quite identical— case of South Africa.
§ Lord GARDINERMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether he agrees that there are today children dying of starvation on these tea estates owned by British companies? If so, instead of sending Members of Parliament to see whatever the tea companies allow them to see, would it not be better to send food? Is there anything to stop the Government making a grant tomorrow to the Save the Children Fund or to War on Want, to which the public could also contribute, so that these children's lives may be saved?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I certainly do not think that there is anything to prevent such action being taken. I am sure that the suggestion of my noble and learned friend should be considered. Beyond that I could not go at the moment.
§ Earl COWLEYMy Lords, before a Select Committee is appointed, can the noble Lord say whether the Government would be willing to bring to the attention of British companies, operating tea estates in Sri Lanka and India, the code of prac- 1096 tice and the principles of operation behind it which were set out by the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on British Companies in South Africa? Could not the noble Lord also have a secretary appointed to the High Commissioners in both these countries, to advise companies operating there on the code of practice?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I think that the suggestions of the noble Earl deserve very careful and sympathetic consideration. It may well be that helpful action can be taken by referring to our experience in regard to South African conditions, so that the inevitably longish period which attends the setting up of a Select Committee and the issuing of its report may be anticipated to good result.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply. While independent Governments might resent a Government inquiry, may I ask him whether, when British companies and nationals are involved, it is not a duty, on the precedent of the Select Committee on South Africa, to have a Select Committee investigate these charges? I ask that question in view of the fact that South Africa justifiably described as hypocrisy the fact that we should inquire into conditions in South Africa, while leaving conditions in other British territories unexplored.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I think I have indicated the readiness of Her Majesty's Government to entertain the proposal for the application of Select Committee procedures to this situation, as to the South African situation. I entirely agree that we have duties in this direction, and certainly we have humane duties of the kind described by my noble and learned friend Lord Gardiner.
§ Baroness GAITSKELLMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether in this case he realises the extent of the bitterness of the people of Sri Lanka over this matter? Is it not true that they blame us for introducing the Tamils into Ceylon when we were there and giving them low wages, and that now they blame Brooke Bond, which is there, for the way that company is behaving?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, there may well be bitterness, but I 1097 hope there is not unfairness, because any discrimination that may have been caused by past practices does not justify the operation of wrongful practices in Ceylon now.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, may I ask the Minister another question, which I hope may be constructive? Does he agree that while a Select Committee could begin with the conditions in Sri Lanka, it might proceed to discuss conditions in all plantation areas, and the whole longterm issue of the treatment of the indigenous people by British companies in those areas?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, it might indeed. I note that the all-Party meeting which was convened in this Palace yesterday envisaged some kind of inquiry into conditions in the Third World. It would include the kind of country and the kind of conditions to which my noble friend referred.