§ Captain Kerbyasked the First Secretary of State whether, before giving the African leaders of Northern Rhodesia the right to secede unilaterally from the Federation, he had consultations with the heads of the mining companies, with a view to safeguarding British imports of copper and other strategic minerals.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerNo. The safeguarding of British interests in the territory depend primarily on securing stable political conditions, which is Her Majesty's Government's objective.