§ 120. Mr. Parkerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what Government-built or operated commercial or industrial enterprises are being planned on instruction from his office as a means of diversifying or industrialising colonial economies and of raising the standard of living; or whether reliance is placed rather upon influencing private enterprise in this direction.
394W
Mr. Creech JonesThe importance of stimulating industrial development in the Colonies for the general reasons stated by my hon. Friend has been the subject of frequent consultation with Colonial Governments, whose responsibility it is in any particular territory to implement policy in this respect. Obviously a considerable degree of public enterprise is essential in colonial development, particularly in respect of utilities and essential services, but private enterprise also has its place and it should be able, consistent with the general programmes of development, to play its part to the full in many new commercial and industrial enterprises. I see no reason why public and private action should not be complementary. In any case, without the provision of basic Government services both social and economic, including the development of facilities for education, particularly in the technical branches, it will not be possible for private enterprise to play its part.
Colonial Governments have been urged to consider what further assistance they can render to industrial development by way of the adjustment of taxation, etc., for the encouragement of new industries, the provision of capital on easy terms, by direct loans or Government guarantee or by participation in the share capital or debenture issues of industrial enterprises. They have also been told that they should be prepared to consider the direct operation of services and industries by Government and the place of public development corporations. There are examples of all these methods to be found in the Colonies, but I have for some time been conscious of the need to provide Colonial Governments with greater guidance and assistance in these matters and I have the whole question under consideration.