§ 73. Mr. Sandysasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will give an assurance that, while the power to amend the Constitution of Rhodesia rests with the Parliament of the United Kingdom, it is not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to introduce legislation to amend the Constitution of Rhodesia, without the approval of the Government and Legislature of Rhodesia and the approval of all racial groups in that country.
§ Mr. BottomleyAs I made clear in answer to a supplementary question from 197W the right hon. Member on 8th March the ultimate grant of independence to Rhodesia is a responsibility of this Parliament. I also said that as long as there was no unconstitutional action this Government would respect the convention whereby Parliament at Westminster does not legislate for Rhodesia on matters within the competence of the Legislative Assembly of Rhodesia, except with the agreement of the Rhodesian Government. As the right hon. Member will be aware, the arrangements for amendment of the 1961 Constitution of Rhodesia are contained within it. Under Section 111 certain provisions can only be amended by Order in Council; otherwise the Constitution can be amended by the Legislature of Rhodesia after a vote of two-thirds of the total membership of the Assembly, except that in the case of the specially entrenched provisions a majority in each of the four main racial communities must approve the proposal in a referendum, or the proposal be submitted to the Queen.