§ Mr. Haleasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what official committees are now sitting and functioning with regard to economic and political reforms in East Africa and how many members of such committees are, respectively, of European, African, and Asian origin.
§ Mr. Lyttelton,pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 6th May, 1953; Vol. 515, c. 377] supplied the following list of official committees now sitting and functioning to deal with economic and political reforms in East Africa.
KENYA
(a) Government Committee on African Advancement consisting of the Governor (Chairman) and five Members of the Government, namely, the Members for Finance and Development, African Affairs, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Education and Labour, and Health, Lands and Local Government.
(b) Committee on adequacy of African cash wages and other conditions and benefits of employment, comprising
- Chairman: The Labour Commissioner.
- Members: 6 Europeans, 1 Asian, 3 African.
(c) Committee to examine the need for economic assistance for primary and secondary industries, excluding agriculture, comprising
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- Chairman: Non-Official.
- Members: 6 Europeans, 1 Asian, 1 African.
(d) Cost of Living Committee consisting ofChairman: Non-Official.
- Members: 3 Europeans, 2 Asians (Muslims), 1 African.
In addition to the above there are the following long established Standing Committees to deal with the day to day need for economic adjustment.
- (a) Board of Commerce and Industry: Appointed to keep under constant review commercial and industrial legislation including Customs and Excise aspects and to advise on encouraging and developing industries and mining. The Committee consists of the Member for Commerce and Industry (Chairman) and 9 European and 4 Asian Members and 1 African Member.
- (b) The Wages Advisory Board established under the Wages and Conditions of Employment Ordinance (Ordinance 1 of 1951), comprising:
- Chairman: Non-Official.
- Members: 2 European Members, 2 Europeans representing employers, 1 Asian employee, 1 African employee.
The functions of the Committee are set out in Section 4 of the Ordinance.
(c) Price Control Advisory Committee, comprising
- Chairman: The Price Controller.
3 Europeans and an Asian representing trade interests and 2 Europeans, 1 Asian and 1 African representing consumer interests, and, in addition, one representative of the Member for African Affairs and one representative of the Member for Commerce and Industry—a total membership of 10. There are no Official Committees now sitting and functioning with regard to political reforms in Kenya.
TANGANYIKA
There are no ad hoc Official Committees at present sitting and functioning in Tanganyika to make proposals for economic and political reforms, but the following Committees exist whose recommendations are likely to influence the economic development of the territory:
- (a) The Rent Restriction Committee:
7 Europeans including the District Commissioner, Dar-es-Salaam, who represents African interests, 3 Asians. The Committee's function is to make recommendations for amendments to the relevant Ordinance.
- (b) The Development Planning Committee
4 Europeans, 1 Asian, 1 African. UGANDA
There are no special Committees now sitting in Uganda dealing with economic and political reforms.
In Uganda it is the normal practice that the membership of any Committees dealing with either economic, political or other matters includes representatives of the different races in reasonable proportions.