§ Mr. Durbinasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he proposes to make available for the information of Parliament copies of Development Plans published in the Colonies.
Mr. Creech JonesYes, Sir. I have caused to be placed in the Library copies of the plans published in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Zanzibar, Cyprus, Mauritius and Tanganyika. I have arranged for copies of further plans for other territories to be placed in the Library when they are published and received here. Members will, of course, appreciate that publication of a plan does not necessarily mean that it has been finally approved, and, furthermore, that these plans even when approved must not be regarded as blueprints to be followed in all details, but as programmes indicating the targets which it will be endeavoured to attain in the various fields of development 439W expenditure. The details will be determined by the actual schemes of development made by me under the Development and Welfare Acts, or provided for by monies voted by the local legislatures from their own resources. The general programmes must be susceptible to review from time to time both centrally and on the spot in association with local opinion and in accordance with the principles laid down by my predecessor in his circular despatch of 12th November, 1945, which was published as Cmd 6713.