§ Mr. Braineasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the recent granting of Customs privileges to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation staff in Malta under a Governor's Ordinance.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe Governor has been discussing this matter with Maltese Ministers, and an agreed solution has been reached, under which it will be possible for the requisite privileges to be granted under other existing enactments. The Governor's Ordinance can then be repealed. Talks are to be held shortly between Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and Maltese political leaders on "the Home Office offer," and176W constitutional and financial matters arising therefrom, and the effect on Malta of granting privileges to N.A.T.O. staff will be one of the matters to be covered in those talks. Meanwhile, Her Majesty's Government have undertaken, subject to Parliamentary approval, to see that in any event Malta does not lose financially by the grant of these privileges.