asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he is yet in a position to announce agreement on a loan to the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

No, Sir.

How does my hon. Friend explain that Answer in view of the fact that his right hon. Friend the Colonial Secretary announced ten days ago that the matter of the loan had been more or less finalised? Does he realise that this dithering on the part of the Government is holding up African housing schemes and educational plans in Southern Rhodesia? Will he press for early action in this matter?

My right hon. Friend is wrong in suggesting that there has been any dithering or inconsistency in the replies given to him. I answered the Question on the Order Paper. I am not yet in a position to announce the agreement of the loan to the Federation, but I hope that a decision will be made within the next two or three weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations why Her Majesty's Government have approved the joint defence arrangements between the forces of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and the Union of South Africa; whether prior approval has been obtained from Her Majesty's Government for the Federal Government to conduct joint defence talks with the Portuguese authorities in Angola and Mozambique; and if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to the external defence relations of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

I am informed that there have been no arrangements or talks of this kind, apart from a training exercise between the Royal Rhodesian Air Force and the South African Air Force which was arranged a year ago. The Federal Government exercise responsibilities in defence and external affairs under the Federal Constitution, but naturally consult Her Majesty's Government fully on all matters of common concern.

May I ask the Under-Secretary of State whether prior approval will be obtained before the Rhodesian authorities enter into any discussions with the Portuguese?

This is a purely hypothetical question. [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] At any time when a matter similar to that comes up, of course there will be the fullest consultations, but there is no basis for this apart from a report which I saw in a newspaper which referred to rumours, musings, and wishful thinking. I do not think that the hon. Member should attach too much importance to a report of that kind.

Nevertheless, will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the constitutional position as contained in the Monckton Report is that external agreements in regard to defence made or sought to be made by the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland must have the confirmation of Her Majesty's Government in this country?

I would rather put it in this way, that under the Constitution the Federation may exercise such responsibilities in external affairs as may from time to time be entrusted to it by the United Kingdom Government. As was announced in 1957, the Government agreed to entrust responsibility for external affairs to the Federal Government to the fullest extent consistent with the responsibility of Her Majesty's Government in this country under international law so long as the Federation is not a separate international entity.

But would the hon. Gentleman make it clear that Her Majesty's Government in this country do not regard it as consistent with this agreement that the Federation should enter any kind of defence agreement with Portugal?

But in fact the Federation has not entered into such agreements.