§ Mr. Rileyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the declared policy of His Majesty's Government that no discrimination should be made on the ground of colour in the British Empire, he will give instructions to Governors of Colonies that officials of the Government ought not to join clubs which impose colour bar?
§ Colonel StanleyI am in full sympathy with the motives prompting the hon. Member's Question. As stated in this House on l9th November, 1941, it is the present policy of His Majesty's Government to do all in their power to secure equal treatment, irrespective of colour, for all British subjects of the Colonial Empire. I am, however, quite clear that it would not be proper for me to intervene in the manner suggested. Clubs are not normally subject to governmental control in the matter of their membership regulations, and the singling out of Government officials in the way suggested would almost certainly be regarded as an unjustifiable intrusion by an employer on the private affairs of his employees, and would not necessarily influence any clubs concerned to change their practice.