I apologise to you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, to the occupants of the Treasury Bench, to the House and to the Government arid people of Namibia for not having attended the whole of the Second Reading debate last week. I was present for most of the winding-up speeches, but unfortunately until then was engaged on other commitments elsewhere in the House.

I warmly welcome the Bill. Some hon. Members will know that for almost all my 20 years in the House, I have taken a great interest in Namibia, which is a wonderful country. I do not hesitate to say that, if I was not a citizen of the United Kingdom, there is no other country in which I should like to live more than in Namibia—or South-West Africa, as it was known.

I have had the privilege of visiting that country on many occasions. I must say that the new Government of Namibia would not have been the Government of my choosing. I would much have preferred it had the Democratic Turnhaller Alliance won the election, but SWAPO and its allies won it fairly and squarely and I believe that they stand a chance of forging a multi-party democracy in that country which will stand the rest of Africa in good stead for the future. All of us watch Namibia with great interest.

The hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) referred to the debt that the new Government inevitably inherited from the Administration that preceded them. I hope that the United Kingdom Government, the EC and other countries will seek to ensure that the fragile body of democracy which is Namibia will not have a millstone round its neck in the form of the large debt that it inherited. I repeat that I have visited Namibia many times; I have been to north, south, east and west. The infrastructure that has been built up is amazing. It is probably one of the best in the African continent. To that extent, the new Administration, under President Nujoma, have a good legacy on which to build for the future. But we do not want them to be handicapped and restricted by the heavy debt incurred by the previous Administration and so prevented from doing what is necessary to ensure their country's prosperity.

I go a little wide, Mr. Deputy Speaker, because the Bill has gone through the House extremely quickly. I do not believe that the admission of a new country to the British Commonwealth should go through on the nod, without those who have some knowledge of that country contributing to the debate and wishing it well. I hope that Namibia's immense potential can be used by its people.

Many hon. Members will know that the country comprises at least 11 different tribal groups, speaking 16 or more different languages. The Namibians have immense problems with education and the provision of educational equipment.