§ 56. Mr. Brockwayasked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will make a statement on the official discussions with the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia and Mr. Michael Mawema, President of the National Democratic Party, on the future status of that territory.
§ Mr. AlportI would refer the hon. Member to my statement on 9th May about the discussions with the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia and to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State to the right hon. Member for West Bromwich (Mr. Dugdale) on 5th May about the deputation to my noble Friend from the National Democratic Party of Southern Rhodesia. Mr. Mawema. the leader of the deputation, has now returned to Southern Rhodesia, where he is reported to have informed the Press that Her Majesty's Government accepted the deputation as representative of the African people in Southern Rhodesia. I would therefore take this opportunity to make clear that Her Majesty's Government do not accept that the National Democratic Party is the sole representative of Africans in Southern Rhodesia.