§ Mr. Brockwayasked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations on what grounds the Paramount Chiefs nominee to the Executive Council of Basutoland has been given a different portfolio from responsibility for chieftainship affairs and local government as required by paragraph 148 of the Constitutional Report.
§ Mr. AlportThe Constitution which has been brought into force following the constitutional discussions 1958 (Cmnd. 637) does not provide for individual members of the Executive Council holding portfolios or having responsibility for particular departments of the Administration. My noble Friend in his dispatch of 14th September, 195950W (Cmnd. 897), expressed the wish that encouragement would be given as far as practicable to the idea of associating each Council Member of the Executive Council with some specified section of the administrative field. In pursuance of this wish, the Resident Commissioner asked the Paramount Chief's nominee on the Executive Council to concern himself with the activities of the Administration in the field of Agriculture and Co-operatives. This arrangement was agreeable to all members of the Executive Council, but my noble Friend is asking the High Commissioner to review it.