HC Deb 30 July 1962 vol 664 cc28-9W
Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which individual legislatures of the territories proposed for the new West Indies Federation have now approved the proposals of the recent Constitutional Conference.

Mr. Sandys

Debates on the Report are due to take place in most territorial legislatures during August or early September. In Barbados a debate was opened in the House of Representatives on 20th June but has been adjourned at the request of the Opposition to allow a longer period for consideration of the issue involved.

Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects to hold the final conference to settle the form of the new West Indies Federation; and when he now expects this Federation will come into existence.

Mr. Sandys

The preparatory steps agreed upon in May for the setting up of the Federation are outlined in paragraph 63 of the Report of the Conference (Cmnd. 1746). As the Report records, the Conference agreed that it was impossible to fix a precise timetable for these steps, and I would not wish to attempt to do so now.