Clause 2. — (Loans for Approved Colonial Development Programmes.)

Part of Colonial Development and Welfare Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 25 March 1959.

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Photo of Mr Julian Amery Mr Julian Amery , Preston North 12:00, 25 March 1959

Many things have happened since then, including the introduction of other Colonial Development and Welfare Acts in which this has always figured. What we are doing here is to apply to the loan provisions what has existed throughout with reference to grants. We have said that what was considered acceptable where grants are concerned should also be considered acceptable where loans are concerned.

Now I come to the reason for all this. It is extremely simple. The Protectorates are independent countries in treaty relationship with us. Our rights in these Protectorates are concerned with defence and foreign relations and we have no power whatever to legislate for their internal affairs. We have to move as we can and think right, by persuasion and other means, but internal legislation is their affair.

This question of trade union rights, as I think the hon. Member who moved the Amendment recognised, is at this stage a theoretical question, because there is no industry at the moment in any of the protectorates. Agriculture and pastoralism are the way of life, so this problem does not yet arise. There is no issue on which we could use our powers of persuasion. That could apply only if there were a problem in existence. That being so, I think that the Committee will agree that the loan provisions, should the Protectorate wish to avail itself of them, should be on the same footing as the grants. Throughout it is on the perfectly reasonable basis—I can see no other basis we could have—that we have not the right Or power 'to interfere in their internal matters on questions of this kind.