HC Deb 14 November 1945 vol 415 cc2276-7W
Lady Noel-Buxton

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which British Colonies forced labour is still employed; and whether he will give the approximate dates for its abolition in each case.

Mr. George Hall

The territories where the emergency arrangements, introduced during the war, for compulsory labour for essential purposes are still in operation are Kenya, Tanganyika and Northern Rhodesia. In Kenya and Tanganyika both the Governments and I myself are most anxious to bring the system to an end at the earliest possible moment and no further men will be recruited after 31st December. Conscript labour actually on contract at that date will be required to complete the contract period with, the limitation that this shall not extend beyond a given date. This date has not yet been finally fixed but will in any case not be later than 30th September, 1946, and in some cases will be earlier than that. In Northern Rhodesia a small number of conscript labourers are employed by the Government and made available to farmers for essential food production under approved conditions. The Government has informed the Executive Farmers' Association that the use of this labour must cease not later than September, 1946.