§ 56. Mr. E. L. Mallalieuasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now state the policy of Her Majesty's 61W Government for the constitutional development of British Somaliland.
§ 83. Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the constitutional proposals for Somaliland, following the visit of the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies to Hargeisa.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydDuring his visit to British Somaliland, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State broadcast a statement, with the approval of Her Majesty's Government, on our policy regarding this and connected questions.
The following is his lengthy but very important statement:
Government arc aware that recent political developments have made the people of the Somaliland Protectorate keenly desirous to learn the future policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the Protectorate and in the Somali area in general. I have accordingly obtained authority of the Secretary of State to make the following statement. The details of policy still remain to be examined in many important matters, particularly in regard to finance, but this statement will provide an indication of the general intention of Her Majestyys Government. The details of implementation of the policy to be followed within this general framework will be subject to consultation with responsible Somali leaders from time to time.
- (a) The aim of Her Majesty's Government is to press ahead with economic, social and political progress in the Protectorate. In particular Her Majesty's Government have decided that steps must be taken to accelerate development of education and economic resources within the limits of the physical capacity of the territory to undertake them.
- (b) In the field of education plans already exist for expanding elmentary, intermediate and secondary education and technical training facilities; they will be discussed with the Secretary of State's Educational Adviser when he visits the Protectorate this autumn. Up to 200 overseas scholarships and training courses, in addition to those originally planned for the period ending 1960, will be provided subject to there being sufficient suitably qualified candidates. These scholarships are intended to cover all branches of education and include university and professional training of Somali students, technical training and apprenticeship overseas and provision for administrative and technical courses for serving Somali members in all branches of the Civil Service.
- (c) In the development of economic resources particular attention will be paid to providing adequate water supplies both in the towns and in the interior, and to agricultural, irrigation, forestry and soil and water conservation projects by which grazing and natural vegetation will be improved and the
62 Protectorate made less dependent on imported foodstuffs. It is hoped to improve outlets for livestock, skins and other livestock products, and schemes for an abbatoir and cold store at Berbera are being investigated. Berbera port will be developed. and the search for oil and minerals of economic value encouraged. Every effort will be made to develop a stable and self-supporting economy and modern social services within the limits of Protectorate resources. The primary object of all these developments is to make the Somalis of the Protectorate ready for internal self-government. Her Majesty's Government is not, however, laying down a definite timetable for political advances, and indeed it is believed that responsible Somalis themselves would not wish this to be done. Her Majesty's Government will however review the position in consultation with the people of the Protectorate within a reasonable time after 1960.Her Majesty's Government will therefore take every practical step to encourage Somalis to assume greater political responsibility. A Legislative Council with certain powers over legislation and finance will be introduced within the coming twelve months and local government councils will be progressively established throughout the Protectorate. The expansion in educational services and particularly the increase in oversea scholarships have been planned to secure among other things an acceleration of the process of the Somalis entering into posts in higher branches of the Civil Service.Somali leaders in the Protectorate have made enquiries concerning the views of Her Majesty's Government in regard to the possibility of some form of association between Somaliland and Somalia sometime after 1960. When the time comes to consider such matters the views of the Somalis concerned will be one of the factors of decisive importance in determining Her Majesty's Government's attitude towards any proposals which may be put forward on this subject. Her Majesty's Government would certainly discuss any such proposals with representatives of the people of the Protectorate; and, if political and economic conditions were propitious, and the proposals were both well-conceived and favoured by the Somalis concerned, Her Majesty's Government would be ready to support them in principle.The Protectorate's territorial integrity is guaranteed for as long as the territory remains under the protection of Her Majesty's Government and indeed Her Majesty's Government wishes to emphasise that she will certainly not withdraw her protection as long as the Somali people require it.