Dr. Morganasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether he will lay before Parliament a White Paper with details or summaries of the Anglo-American discussions on the Caribbean Islands, with special reference to the views on those islands and their future, expressed by the President of the United States of America in his discussion with the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Colonial Office; and whether the question of the federation of these islands, on the lines of the Phillipines' self-government constitution, was discussed;
(2) whether a summarised version of the recent interview between the President of the United States of America and an official of the Colonial Office will be placed in the Library; and has any special note been taken in the Colonial Office of President Roosevelt's view as to the need for more self-government in the West Indies?
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§ Mr. Harold MacmillanMy Noble Friend does not think that there is any call for a White Paper. As has been stated, Sir George Gater's visit was informal and he had discussions of a general character on questions of mutual interest, many of them of a technical nature. The main object of his visit was to ascertain the views of the Government of the United States and to report to my Noble Friend. During his stay in Washington he was fortunate in being accorded a personal interview with the President of the United States, but my Noble Friend does not think it would be appropriate to issue any report of the interview. As regards constitutional matters, I can assure my hon. Friend that the constitutional development of the British West Indian Colonies, in the light of conditions prevailing in them, is a matter to which my Noble Friend is constantly giving attention. The House will be aware of the steps which are already being taken to implement the recommendations of the Moyne Commission.