HC Deb 02 July 1957 vol 572 cc93-4W
64. Mr. Creech Jones

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider, in order to remove continued widespread African doubts about the purpose of the High Commission in East Africa, that the sittings of the Central Legislative Assembly might periodically meet in each of the East African capitals and that the practice of having as Chairman the Governor of Kenya may be altered so that Governors of the other two territories may also occupy the Chair in turn.

Mr. Profumo

It has in fact been the practice of the Central Legislative Assembly to meet from time to time in Uganda and Tanganyika as well as in Kenya, and this practice may well commend itself to the recently enlarged and more representative Assembly. As regards the second part of the Question, there are obvious difficulties in that the Chairman has many continuing functions apart from taking the Chair at the periodic meetings and must be accessible to the Administrator, whose headquarters are in Nairobi. But before I give a final reply I should like to have time to consult the Governors of the East African territories and will write to the right hon. Gentleman.