Skip to main content

Colonial Empire

Volume 439: debated on Wednesday 25 June 1947

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

Press Conferences

8.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now arrange to meet at least once a month the corre- spondents of colonial newspapers in London and the editors of other journals concerned with Colonial matters in order to enable the Colonial newspapers concerned to be kept fully up to date with activities of his Department.

The information Department in the Colonial Office is now being re-organised. When this reorganisation is complete it is proposed to institute a regular monthly press conference particularly for the correspondents of Colonial newspapers in London and for editors of other journals concerned with Colonial matters. These conferences will normally be conducted by my Director of Information Services.

News Releases

9.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the London correspondents of Colonial newspapers were given no access to his Department's release of news about major schemes of development in the Colonies; that at the conference several days afterwards, no additional information was given to them; and whether he will give an assurance that in all releases of news with regard to Colonial developments, the correspondents of Colonial newspapers in London and all journalists specialising in Colonial matters will be enabled to get information published in Colonial newspapers at the same time as it can be published in London and dispatched overseas by the news agencies.

I presume that my hon. and gallant Friend refers to reports recently published of plans to review the production of foodstuffs and other essential commodities in the Colonial Empire. No news release on this subject was made by the Colonial Office, but a reference in this House gave rise to speculation in the Press. As a result my Press Officers were given information which was then made available to all inquirers. In view of the interest in the subject it was thought that representatives of the Colonial specialist Press would welcome an opportunity of meeting a senior official of the Colonial Office and a conference was arranged accordingly. The purpose of this conference was not to release, news but to give background information the answer to the last part of the Question is; "Yes, Sir."

Commodity Production

10.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he proposes to issue a White Paper concerning commodity production in the Colonial Empire.

No, Sir, but with the permission of the hon. Member, the House, and Mr. Speaker, I will make a statement at the end of Questions.

Governors And Civil Servants (Salaries)

13.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the salaries of Colonial Governors and Colonial civil servants have been augmented to meet the increased cost of living; and whether, in view of the natural reluctance of Colonial governors to raise the question of their emoluments, he will, if satisfied that there are good grounds for doing so, bring the point to the notice of the local legislatures.

In nearly all Colonies the salaries of civil servants either have been revised or are in process of revision. Cost of living allowance schemes operate in practically all Colonies where salaries have not yet been revised. Improvements in the effective emoluments of Governors—which include salary, allowances and privileges—have also been made in a number of cases and will be considered in others as and when occasion arises.

But what is happening in the Colonies where no increases have taken place? Does not the right hon. Gentleman feel that he has a responsibility in view of the fact that these officers are appointed by the Secretary of State?

Of course, we have a measure of responsibility, but I think that I can say in all cases, in all the territories throughout the Empire, this matter has received the attention either of the Colonial Office or myself directly and certain steps have been taken.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many of them get a salary of £3,700 a year or above?

Development Plans (Dominion Assistance)

21.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps His Majesty's Government has taken to ensure that the Dominions are allowed to play a full part in the formation and execution of plans for expanding the output of industry and agriculture in the Colonies.

The United Kingdom Government are aware of the part which the Dominion Governments can play in the field of Colonial development. Already in a number of important respects, close co-operation has been established. So far as expansion of production in industry and agriculture is concerned, the Dominions are, of course, much occupied at the moment with their own economies and the expansion of their own productive capacity. The assistance of the Dominion Governments will, I am sure, be readily forthcoming as necessary in the larger Colonial development plans, and there will undoubtedly be opportunity for Dominion investment in this field.

Have the Dominions been invited to join the Economic Advisory Council, and what has the Council done so far?

I hope that I may be in a position to circulate a statement to the House in regard to the work of the Economic and Development Council, but in all our development work there has been very close contact with the Dominion Governments, and we have received in some of our schemes very practical assistance indeed.

Would the right hon. Gentleman try to let us have that before the Supply Day, if that is possible?

Has any Dominion Government made any contribution to the Colonial Development Fund?

Education, Tanganyika

22.

asked the. Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has examined the recommendations of the Development Commission of Tanganyika as to African educational requirements in the next 10 years; and how these recommendations are to be financed.

I have examined the recommendations, which have been generally endorsed by the Advisory Committee on Education in the Colonies, and I have informed the Governor that I am prepared to approve them. It is proposed that the ten-year plan shall be financed as follows: From the Territory's resources and surplus balances, £3,537,000; from the resources of the Native Administration, £605,000; from the Colonial Development and Welfare Vote, £1,250,000 — total, £5,392,000. These financial arangements are subject to the approval of the Tanganyika Legislative Council as far as expenditure from the Territory's funds is concerned and to the concurrence of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer as regards the proposed grant under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act. The plan has still to be considered also by the Advisory Committee on African Education in Tanganyika. I am sending a copy of the plan to the hon. and gallant Member.

Trinidad (Cost Of Living)

20.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action has been taken by the Government of Trinidad to implement the recommendation of its Cost-of-Living Committee that the prices of essential foodstuffs should be subsidised; and whether any action is to be taken in response to the committee's criticism that the Government's import policy compels Trinidad to buy in a dear market.

A policy of food subsidisation has been in operation for some years in Trinidad. Proposals for increasing subsidisation expenditure in order to reduce the cost-of-living index by 10 points from 220 to 210 have recently been agreed in principle by the Finance Committee. It is proposed that the cost of these measures should be met partly from Trinidad revenues and partly from a grant by His Majesty's Government. The necessary vote to authorise such a grant will be brought before Parliament in due course. As regards the second part of the Question, the Governor reports that import control is effected with the object of conserving "hard currency," and in some instances this involves purchases from the sterling area at higher prices than those for which similar goods could be purchased from "hard currency" countries. Since April last, however, licences have been issued for the importation from any source of certain essential consumer goods which are in very short supply.

Could I ask the Secretary of State whether this assistance from the Colonial Office Vote to reduce the cost of living where that is increased by the necessity of sterling control, will be extended to other Colonies which are in the same position?

I cannot give a definite promise that it will be extended, but it is a matter which is under constant discussion with the Treasury, and I think both the Colonial Office and the Treasury take a reasonably sympathetic view in regard to the matter.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is possible to extend similar help to other West Indian Colonies?

I have just said that the whole problem has the constant attention of the Colonial Office and the Treasury.