asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what decision has been made on the proposals of the elected African, Asian and Arab groups in the Kenya Legislative Council that a round table conference should consider constitutional changes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what constitutional developments he has in mind for Kenya in view of the Opposition of the African, Asian and Arab communities to the present constitution.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse) and other hon. Members on 27th November last.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that more than three months have passed since that reply and that the situation in Kenya is becoming more and more serious? When all the elected groups, except the European group, ask for a constitutional conference, surely the Government should respond by discussing these serious matters with them.

I think the hon. Gentleman knows that my dispatch invited the African Members to enter into discussions with the Governor and then with the other groups so as to create a basis for mutual understanding. The Governor told me, and repeated it to me personally last night in London, that he has invited the African Members to come and see him informally after his return to Kenya, and I hope that they will agree to do so. I cannot, however, accept the idea that a formal conference should now be convened to reconsider the fundamentals of the present constitution.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman to look at this matter again? If 99 per cent. of the population in Kenya, through their elected representatives, ask for round table talks, surely they are entitled to have them, and surely the mutual understanding to which the right hon. Gentleman refers would be better achieved in that way.

I think the hon. Gentleman knows too much about the matter to get away with that question, if I may say so. He knows quite well that last year I did my best to bring about such a round table conference. It was not possible, and therefore I had to impose a settlement. I do not think a formal conference should be convened to reconsider the fundamentals of that settlement, but none the less I hope that the talks which I have mentioned will take place.

Will not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider his decision? This is an important matter. There is now a conflict between all the other peoples in Kenya and the Europeans. This will grow and it will be impossible to have a conference. We shall have another Cyprus or Malta on our hands. As my hon. Friends have suggested, will not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider his decision not to convene a conference?

No, Sir.