§ 37. Mr. C. Osborneasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his conversations with the West Indian Government regarding the urgent need 80W to control and limit immigration into the United Kingdom.
§ 40. Mr. Brockwayasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his official discussions with federal and territorial ministers in the West Indies regarding immigration from their territories.
§ The Prime MinisterAs I told the House on 13th April, I naturally had some discussions on the problems of migration with the leading personalities in the West Indies. As I made it clear, they are very conscious of our difficulties as we are of theirs. I did not add in any discussions to the position taken by the Government in our recent debate.
Great progress is being made with economic and industrial development in the Islands, but there is still the problem of population. Any assistance that any Commonwealth or other country can give will, of course, help, but we are all conscious of the difficulties involved.
§ 41. Mr. Brockwayasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his official discussions with federal and territorial ministers in the West Indies regarding the constitution of the Federation.
§ The Prime MinisterI tried to make it plain in discussions with West Indian Ministers that it was now up to them to resolve the remaining difficulties concerning their federal constitution. I expressed the hope that at their intergovernmental conference in May they would reach a substantial measure of agreement. This would greatly facilitate our task at the conference opening at Lancaster House on 31st May when we shall, I hope, arrive at an agreed date for the independence of the Federation.
§ 44. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister to what extent he discussed the question of nuclear strategy and Polaris bases with the Canadian Prime Minister.
§ The Prime MinisterMy discussions with Mr. Diefenbaker were, in general, confidential. I am not prepared to disclose particulars of any discussions that I may have had with him about defence matters.
45. Mr. B. Harrisonasked the Prime Minister whether he discussed with President Kennedy the need to maintain or 81W increase the British conventional contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
§ The Prime MinisterThe question of the organisation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation did arise in the course of our discussions. There is, I understand, to be a general review in the North Atlantic Council of the Whole problem of the character and size of forces. Meanwhile, we have Treaty obligations which we are carrying out.