§ Mr. Colvinasked the Lord Privy Seal what contingency plans have been arranged to ensure the safety of white Rhodesians, and their evacuation if necessary, in the event of increased risk to their lives and property after the forthcoming elections in Rhodesia.
§ Mr. LuceContingency plans exist for the evacuation of United Kingdom citizens in many countries. The future Government of Zimbabwe will be responsible for the safety of all their citizens.
§ Mr. Colvinasked the Lord Privy Seal what plans exist for the rehabilitation in the United Kingdom of white Rhodesians who may be forced to leave Rhodesia after the forthcoming elections, should they wish to come to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. LuceWe are seeking a settlement in which all will have a place and will wish to stay in Rhodesia to contribute to its future.
§ Mr. Colvinasked the Lord Privy Seal what consideration he has given to the question of compensation to white Rhodesians in the event of being deprived of their property or jobs following the elections in Rhodesia.
§ Mr. LuceThe incoming independence Government will have to proceed in222W accordance with the fully justiciable Declaration of Rights contained in the Independence Constitution agreed by all the parties at Lancaster House.
§ Dr. Edmund Marshallasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to discover how many citizens of the Republic of South Africa are at present members of the security forces in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.
§ Mr. LuceNo. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 19 February.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will instruct the Governor of Southern Rhodesia to remove immediately all Customs charges and duties on material imported into Rhodesia for electoral campaigning.
§ Mr. LuceNo. Special arrangements have been made with the political parties to facilitate the clearance of election material.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal Seal what is the purpose of the total mobilisation of the armed forces in Rhodesia, ordered for 24 February.
§ Mr. LuceAll police and army reservists have received call-up notices. The purpose of the call-up is to maintain law and order and security respectively during the forthcoming common-roll elections, as well as to provide practical assistance, for instance in establishing polling stations in remote rural areas.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will instruct the Governor of Southern Rhodesia that Rhodesian police shall not be used as polling officers in the forthcoming elections.
§ Mr. LuceNo members of the police force will be polling officers during the common-roll elections.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will instruct the Governor of Southern Rhodesia to disclose forthwith to the bereaved families the names of all persons secretly hanged since April 1965.
§ Mr. LuceIf the Governor is approached by anyone who believes that his relative may have been executed, 223W he will be prepared to make inquiries and inform the person concerned of the results.
Mr. Hookyasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will instruct the Governor of Southern Rhodesia to order the police and armed forces not to interfere with or intimidate public election meetings during the election campaign.
§ Mr. LuceSuch activities would be in contravention of the Lancaster House Agreements. We are not in any case aware that any such allegations have been made.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal how many clashes have occurred between members of the monitoring force and the Rhodesian armed forces and police, since the monitoring force took up its duties.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal what is the purpose of encircling the assembly points for guerrilla troops in Rhodesia with minefields.
§ Mr. LuceI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 14 February.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal how many unarmed persons have been shot dead by the Rhodesian armed forces since the Governor assumed power in Rhodesia.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Lord Privy Seal how many refugees have been readmitted to Rhodesia since the Governor took office and what estimate has been made of the numbers still awaiting repatriation.
§ Mr. LuceAbout 30,000 refugees had been repatriated by 18 February. Those still waiting to return under the current programme number just under 120,000. We estimate that there are about 70,000 refugees (mostly schoolchildren) in neighbouring countries who will not be covered by the current programme.