§ 82. Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the system whereby permanent civil servants sit as members of a Legislative Council tends to destroy confidence in 159W that Government; how many permanent civil servants now sit on the Legislative Assembly of Malaya; and if he will take steps to see that under the new constitution no civil servant will be able to hold the two positions at the same time.
§ Mr. J. FosterI do not agree that the presence of civil servants in a Legislative Council tends to destroy confidence in the Government concerned. There are at present 21 permanent civil servants in the Federal Legislative Council. The future position of civil servants is one of the matters now under consideration in the light of the recommendations made by the Committee on Federal Elections.
§ 83. Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has sent to a petition from the National Convention of Malaya, which he has received through the High Commissioner of the Federation of Malaya, against some of the majority recommendations of the committee dealing with elections to the Federal Legislative Council.
§ Mr. J. FosterNone. The Petition was not addressed to my right hon. Friend but to the High Commissioner for the Federation of Malaya and Their Highnesses the Rulers of the Malay States, and my right hon. Friend has not received it through the High Commissioner.