Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 13 October 1969.
Mr Neil Marten
, Banbury
12:00,
13 October 1969
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest developments in Anguilla.
Mr Maurice Foley
, West Bromwich
Her Majesty's Commissioner has made good progress in restoring and maintaining peace and good order on the island, and in promoting development.
Mr Neil Marten
, Banbury
Can the Minister say how many British policemen are still there, why they are still there and when they will leave?
Secondly, can he reiterate the assurance given by his right hon. Friend that the Anguillans will not be administered under a régime which they do not like?
Mr Maurice Foley
, West Bromwich
On the first matter, the company of the Parachute Regiment has left. A small contingent of the Metropolitan Police remains to maintain law and order.
The future of Anguilla is a matter for the Commission when it is appointed. What is indicative of a good spirit is that all are anxious to collaborate in seeing that it does work, and I am quite sure, without anticipating its results, we will arrive at a satisfactory settlement.
Bernard Braine
, Essex South East
This matter has hung fire for a very long time. The Commission has not even started work.
Can the hon. Gentleman give us any indication about what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to end the formal association of Anguilla with St. Kitts? That is the issue.
Mr Maurice Foley
, West Bromwich
If that is the issue in the hon. Gentleman's mind, it is not the issue in mine. We are discussing with the State Government the composition of the Commission. When we have finished our discussions with the State Government, we will consult other Governments in the Caribbean. It is at this stage that the Commission will get under way, will be able to take advice from anyone in Anguilla and elsewhere, and will formulate its conclusions, which will then be open for discussion.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
