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Printed for the Cabinet. March 1949
SECRET
C.P. (49) 57
9th March, 1949
CABINET
Copy No
31
wht andt
ADMINISTRATION OF THE FORMER ITALIAN COLONIES
MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR
The working party set up as a result of the conclusions reached at the meeting of the Cabinet held on 20th January, 1949 (C.M. (49) 5th Conclusions, Minute 4), has completed its task and has submitted a report, a copy of which is annexed.
2. The working party makes the following recommendations, with which the Former Italian Colonies Committee has expressed its agreement, and which we accept:
(i) That the responsibility for the future administration of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland be transferred from the War Office to the Foreign Office concurrently with the responsibility for the future administra- tion of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania.
(ii) That, if responsibility for these two territories were to remain perma- nently or semi-permanently with His Majesty's Government, the question of departmental responsibility for the administration of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland should be reviewed.
(iii) That the transfer of responsibility referred to in recommendation (i)
above should be effected as from 1st April, 1949.
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(iv) That the recommendations of the working party as to the action to be taken by the War Office and by the Foreign Office should be imple- mented in sufficient time to enable the new London establishment of the Foreign Office (F.O.A.A.T.) to commence work by 1st April, 1949. 3. We now request that formal approval be given to these recommendations.
9th March, 1949.
ANNEX
E. B.
E. S.
Preamble
REPORT BY THE WORKING PARTY
The Working Party established under the provisions of C.P. (49) 12 dated 17th January, 1949-
1. Has considered the action necessary to transfer the responsibility for the administration of the former Italian Colonies of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania
3669Bage 168 of 488
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be takege 10 from the War Office
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of 188 to the Foreign Office and has recommended the action to
(a) by the War Office, and
(b) by the Foreign Office.
age
.
2. Has recommended a London establishment suitable for the task which has now been approved by the Treasury, has indicated each position in this establishment at present authorised and manned in the existing War Office establishment and has investigated the availability and willingness of the individuals concerned to transfer to the new body to be formed. It has agreed that the new London organisation could suitably be entitled "The Foreign Office Administration of African Territories (F.O.A.A.T.).
""
3. Has considered the question of responsibility for the future administra- tion of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland, while the responsibility for the adminis- tration of these two territories remains with His Majesty's Government. The Working Party has ascertained that-
(a) If F.O.A.A.T. is required to assume responsibility for the administration of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania only, it will require an overall establish- ment of 121. If, in addition, F.O.A.A.T. were to be required to assume responsibility for the administration of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland, an increment of 29 only (all of whom would be of lower rank than Principal) would have to be added to the above figure. (b) Should the War Office be required to retain responsibility for the adminis- tration of Eritrea and Somalia, only 21 officials (all of junior grade) would be available for transfer to F.O.A.A.T. If the War Office were to be relieved of all responsibility for the administration of the ex-Italian Colonies, some 77 posts* would become redundant. Sixty-one officials (including a large proportion of senior grades) would be available for transfer.
(c) of the existing files and records some 50 per cent. deal with matters concerning all four territories. If responsibility for the administra- tion of the ex-Italian Colonies were to be divided between two Departments, these files and records could presumably be duplicated, although this would be a task of some magnitude.
4. The Working Party have considered the possibility of the responsibility for the future administration of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland being transferred to a civilian department other than the Foreign Office, e.g., the Colonial Office, and are of the opinion that-
(a) Although it might well be appropriate for the Colonial Office to assume responsibility for the administration of these two territories in the event of their remaining the responsibility of His Majesty's Govern- ment permanently or semi-permanently, the assumption of such responsibility by the Colonial Office during a purely transitional period would have no advantages.
(b) If the Colonial Office were to assume responsibility for the administration of Eritrea and Somaliland during a purely transitional period, it could not undertake more than a limited integration of this administra- tion into the normal Colonial Office organisation and would require an addition of eighty to its present establishment.
(c) If, however, responsibility for the administration of these territories were passed to the Colonial Office, thus bringing in a third Department, the dangers already feared as the result of divided responsibilities between the Foreign Office and the War Office at this juncture would be increased.
(d) On the other hand, if the responsibility for these two territories were, contrary to expectation, to remain permanently or semi-permanently with His Majesty's Government, the considerations referred to in (a) and (c) above would no longer apply.
5. If, therefore, the Foreign Office were to undertake responsibility for the administration of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania only and if responsibility for the administration of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland were to remain with the War Office or be assumed by the Colonial Office, the total man-power commitment for the Plagredostament would be approximately 0.16bforensibility for
* Exclusive of typist, stenographer, &c., pools.
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the administration of all four territories were assumed by the Foreign Office the equivalent manpower commitment would be approximately 19ge
ΟΙ
6. The Working Party, bearing in mind the necessity for saving man-power, for avoiding duplication of effort and for ensuring administrative efficiency, and bearing also in mind the fact that any division of existing staff must materially delay the establishment of F.O.A.A.T., recommends that responsibility for the administration of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland be undertaken by the Foreign Office concurrently with their assumption of responsibility for the administration of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania.
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7. The Working Party have considered the date on which the transfer should take place and now recommend that the transfer of responsibility should be effected as from 1st April, 1949.
Recommendations
1. That the responsibility for the future administration of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland be transferred from the War Office to the Foreign Office con- currently with the responsibility for the future administration of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania.
2. That, if responsibility for these two territories were to remain permanently or semi-permanently with His Majesty's Government, the question of depart- mental responsibility for the administration of Eritrea and Somaliland should be reviewed.
3. That the transfer of responsibility referred to in recommendation 1 above should be effected as from 1st April, 1949.
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4. That the recommendations of the Working Party as to the action to be taken by the War Office and by the Foreign Office should be implemented in sufficient time to enable the new London establishment of the Foreign Office (F.O.A.A.T.) to commence work by 1st April, 1949.
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