§ Mr. Braineasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the reports of the fiscal, Civil Service and judicial Commissions, preparatory to the British Caribbean Federation may be expected; and what further steps will have to be taken thereafter before the Federation can be established.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd:In view of the extent and complexity of the issues which the three Commissions are required to consider, it is clear that they could not all be expected to present their reports before the autumn of this year.
After those reports have been considered by the West Indian Governments concerned and by Her Majesty's Government, a revised federal plan will be drawn up in London taking into account the comments of Governments and also the results of last month's conference in Trinidad on the movement of persons, which is now before the West Indian Legislatures for their confirmation. This plan will be considered by a conference of representatives of West Indian Colonies who will, I hope, have power to act on behalf of their Governments, so that the plan can be finally settled by the Conference. I doubt if it would be practicable 61W to hold the conference before the turn of this year.
Provided the conference agrees and authorises the final plan, the drafting of the necessary constitutional instruments will have then to be completed, which will be a complex process, and a Bill introduced into Parliament. After the Act of Parliament has been passed it will be necessary to make preliminary arrangements for the establishment of pre-federal machinery, for the demarcation of constituencies (itself a lengthy task) and finally for the holding of elections.
In view of the complexity of the remaining issues, I doubt if it would be possible for there to be a Caribbean federal Government actually in being before 1957. Her Majesty's Government will, however, carry out all the stages within their own control with the utmost expedition in accordance with the wish expressed at the Trinidad Conference. With the co-operation of West Indian Governments in carrying out all the stages with which they are concerned with similar expedition, I think we should all aim at trying to improve on that date and see if we can achieve the creation of a federal Government by the end of 1956.
I take this opportunity to announce that in the place of Sir James Robertson, as stated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Braine) on 9th March last, Sir Hilary Blood, G.B.E., K.C.M.G., will now be Chairman of the pre-federation Civil Service Preparatory Commission.