§ 81. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the diminishing number of British expatriate civil servants in the Northern Region of Nigeria and the dearth of trained Nigerians to replace them is encouraging a tendency towards the breaking up of that Region as a unit and its reversion to a collection of small emirates; and if he will indicate his plans for stemming that tendency and maintaining the Northern Region of Nigeria as an effective unit.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydSo far there has been no decline in the number of overseas officers in the Northern Region. As the House is aware, I am considering measures to encourage overseas officers to remain in Nigeria, and meanwhile the Northern Regional Government is taking steps to increase the number of Nigerians qualified for senior posts in the Regional Public Service.
§ 82. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the special list scheme in Her Majesty's Oversea Civil Service has been subject to criticism by the expatriate British civil servants in Nigeria, that it is not, as intended, inducing them to stay at their posts and that they are retiring in such numbers that the Civil Service in Nigeria is being unduly depleted; and how he proposes to rectify the dangerous situation thereby created.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI would refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply which I gave to his Question on 20th March to which I have for the present nothing to add.