This same meeting should
from the region itself. The initial meeting of this Council should include representatives of the present six Associated States, issue invitations to other Commonwealth countries; eventually the four Commonwealth Caribbean countries and Canada might participate fully.
When the Consultative Councils meet in London the minister of State for the Dependencies (see kecommendation 10, p.5) should preside, but when they meet in their own regions local ministers should be invited to do so, although the UK Minister of State should attend. The British Representative in each region should not be a member of the UK Government, but should be a civil servant of senior status, drawn from within the Diplomatic Service or from outside, but with political experience.
Those Dependencies not participating in either of the Regional Consultative Councils (see ¡PPENDIX 11l C.) should be encouraged to send representative delegations tu london, in some cases annually, but more frequently than in the past.
The cost of the Regional Councils, together with travelling expenses of those involved, as well as the expenses of representatives from those Dependencies with "direct access to London", should be burne by the United Kingdom, The provision of the necessary secretariats should also be a Uh responsibility.
The British Antarctic Territories and the British Indian Ocean Territories should be regarded us having no permanent inhabitants and should therefore be directly controlled from Westminster.
GENERAL REO RELATIONS
It is easy to suggest that Dependencies should have the maximum degree of internal self-overnment on the grounds that long-range administration is nearly always unsatisfactory. Urgent steps should be taken to encourage local participation in administration and government, leading by successive stages to maximum internal self-government in accordance with the wishes and interests of the people. Some suggestions are made to this end: -
1. The remaining Dependencies need a new generic name. The following recommendations are listed in order of reference:-
A.
Crown Territory.
B.
Crown State, or state of the Crown.
C.
Free State of the Commonwealth.
D.
Associated State.
None of the above names should be applied to Brunei and Tonga, which would reuin Protected States. This reservation need not apply to the Solomon Islands even though their present status is that of a Protectorate.
2. Although these Dependencies should not enjoy representation in the House of Commons, unless their present status becume that of full integration, they should
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