§ Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what conferences of Commonwealth Ministers for the discussion of specific subjects of community interest were held within the years 1955, 1956 and 1957, respectively.
§ Mr. AlportMeetings of Commonwealth Prime Ministers took place in January, 1955, and June, 1956, and a further meeting is being held now. Finance Ministers of Commonwealth countries met in September, 1955, and in September, 1956. In addition, Ministers from several Commonwealth countries have attended a number of other conferences, notably meetings of the Colombo Plan Consultative Committee in October, 1955, and December, 1956, the Council of the South East Asia Collective Defence Treaty (S.E.A.T.O.) in February, 1955, March, 1956, and March, 1957, and the Suez Canal Conference of August, 1956. The opportunity was taken of the presence of Ministers from a number of Commonwealth countries to discuss matters of common concern at the time of the United Nations General Assembly104W in 1955 and 1956. Many less formal visits and meetings of individual Ministers from two or more Commonwealth countries take place at frequent intervals.