§ Sir S. Reedasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, to. ensure the most efficient progress of the Colonial Development Policy, he will take early steps to group the East African, the West African and the West Indian territories into governor-generalships so as to attract the best men available, and to zone the members of the Colonial Civil Service in order to secure continuity of administration?
§ Mr. George HallIn the Governors' Conferences in East and West Africa, and in the organisation of the Comptroller for Welfare and Development in the West Indies, machinery is already available for a measure of co-ordination within these colonial groups. The institution of the further centralising machinery suggested in my hon. Friend's Question is therefore in no way a prerequisite for the application of the colonial development policy. As regards the second parts of the Question, the creation of regional services has been considered: but it is felt that, in the present stage of development, the general unification of the Colonial administrative and other services in the policy best fitted to ensure that the qualifications and experience of the members of those services are used to the greatest advantage.