§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the number of Tswana people in (i) South Africa and (ii) Botswana.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe information is as follows: (i) According to South African estimates there are approximately 1,522,000 Tswana in South Africa, excluding those resident in Bophuthatswana. In 1984 the population of Bophuthatswana was estimated at some 1,667,500, of whom the majority were Tswana.
(ii) the population of Botswana was estimated in 1984 as 1,047,000, of whom the majority are Tswana.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he takes in formulating his policy on Bophuthatswana of representations made in the past by representatives of Her Majesty's Government as to the right of the Tswana people in South Africa to self-determination.
§ Mrs. ChalkerWe seek to take account of all relevant factors in formulating our policy towards Bophuthatswana, as to all parts of the Republic of South Africa.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Ynys Môn of 27 October, what evidence he has of the desire of the Tswana people for self-determination in the creation of Bophuthatswana.
§ Mrs. ChalkerNone. Bophuthatswana was created without recourse to a referendum.