asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether he will give details of the amounts allocated, in the 10 year development plans already approved, to development and to welfare and of the main groups of items classed under each heading;

(2) which of the 10 year development plans submitted by Colonial Governments have now been finally approved.

Mr. Creech Jones:

Subject, in most cases, to certain reservations, I have already approved the 10 year development programmes of the following territories: Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Seychelles, Mauritius, St. Helena and Cyprus.

If the improvement of education, medical and health, housing and ancillary services and miscellaneous social welfare schemes, are included under the heading of welfare, and other schemes are classified as development, though this classification is far from sound, the amount devoted in the above programmes to development is £58½ million, and, to welfare, £19½million. Since the details are rather long, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that, in general, the proportion devoted to development, as compared with welfare, is adequate in view of the necessity for Colonies to provide their own revenue as soon as possible, in order to solve their own social problems?

Mr. Creech Jones:

This is a very difficult problem. In our development plans it is most important that the economic basis should be laid, so that the social services can be sustained later.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that owing to staff and material difficulties the description of this plan as a "10 year plan" is unrealistic? It will probably take 20 to 30 years to put into effect.

Mr. Creech Jones:

The Act provides for a 10 year plan, and it is only on a 10 year basis that we can go ahead.

Can my right hon. Friend say what is holding up approval of development plans for Gambia and the Gold Coast?

Mr. Creech Jones:

There is no hold up. These plans are dealt with quickly as soon as they come to hand.

The details are as follow: