§ Captain Kerbyasked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what is the annual income per capita of the Bechuanaland Protectorate; what action is being taken by his Department to raise the living standards of the inhabitants; how many cases of bilharzia, yaws 169W and ophthalmic diseases occurred in 1955; what is the number of hospital beds per head of population; and what constitutional change he contemplates in the Government of the Protectorate calculated to improve the lot of the indigenous population.
§ Mr. AlportNo statistics exist of the average annualper capita income of the Bechuanaland Protectorate. Development plans for the period 1956–60 financed from colonial development and welfare funds are now being carried into effect. These include schemes for the development of water supplies, and agricultural, veterinary, medical and educational services. In addition, for the same period, the Protectorate will receive, in accordance with the statement made on 1st April, 1954, in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Flint, East (Mrs. White) and subject to Parliamentary approval each year, grants-in-aid of up to £1½ million from Her Majesty's Government to enable adequate standards of administration to be maintained. These will also play a part in raising the living standards of the inhabitants.
The following cases of bilharzia, yaws and ophthalmic diseases were reported during 1955:—
The number of beds per 1,000 population is 1.9.
Bilharzia … 65 Yaws … 3 Ophthalmic diseases … 3,574 As regards the question of constitutional change, I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Members for Bristol. South-East (Mr. Benn) and Wavertree (Mr. Tilney) on 25th October and 1st November, 1956, and to my answer to the hon. and gallant Member for Haltemprice (Major Wall) on 24th January, 1957.