asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to a recent issue of "Pravda," an official Soviet organ, containing the statement that amongst the recent successes of the Soviet Government has been a peasant poll-tax revolt in Nigeria., native demonstrations in the Sudan, railway strikes in the Transvaal, peasant disorders in Kenya, and two risings in Samoa; and whether he is taking action having regard to the terms of the Treaty with Soviet Russia?

The right hon. Gentleman appears to have misunderstood or mistranslated the article referred to in the question. This article, which appeared on the 7th of November, mentioned the various events referred to by the right hon. Gentleman as items of news. The article, however, so far as we are able to discover, contained no reference whatever either to the Soviet Government or to its recent successes.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think this is a very unfriendly way of treating a country with which they are in Treaty relations, and is it not subjecting this country to still another humiliation?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the United States Government have this morning announced that they are going to take the very steps which we are urging him to take?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any complaints that British anti-Bolshevist propaganda is being carried on in the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics; and whether any such propaganda is, to his knowledge, being carried on?

No complaints of the nature suggested by the hon. Member have been received.

Will the right hon. Gentleman devote his attention to the allegations which have appeared in the Soviet Press that this Government is carrying on propaganda in that country?

I am afraid I have something else to do than be running after such statements.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the bulk of the Press in Russia is official, and that it is his duty to look after it?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these accusations were made against the Lena Goldfields Company and that that was the ground for turning them out of Russia?

Has the right hon. Gentleman knowledge that propaganda of this kind is being carried on?

I can add nothing to what I have already said, in view of questions already on the Order paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will ask the British Ambassador to make inquiries concerning certain decrees of the Soviet Government giving detailed instructions for the manufacture and dumping of a large number of commodities?

On a point of Order. Before the right hon. Gentleman answers that question, I should like to ask you, Sir, whether you yourself are satisfied that the serious allegations contained in the question can be substantiated?

It is not for me to decide whether statements in questions can be substantiated.

Is there not a Regulation—Regulation No.2—governing questions, that the questioner makes himself responsible for the accuracy of his statements?

That is quite another matter.

I have already asked His Majesty's Ambassador for a report on this matter.

Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake, so far as decrees in relation to which he gets information from our Ambassador are concerned, to make such information available to this House?

Had not the right hon. Gentleman better await the report of the inquiries?

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman give information in connection with the question I asked him last week?

I am not going to give information until I have seen the report myself.

On a point of Order. May I put down a question to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs asking if he will ask the British Ambassadors to make inquiries from Germany and other countries—

The hon. Member had better hand his question in at the Table.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the indictment by the Government of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics of a number of specialists and professors on a charge of conspiracy with the British general staff against the Government of the Soviets; and whether he has made any representations to the Soviet Ambassador or otherwise with a view to dissociating the British Government or any of its staff and officers from any participation in the alleged conspiracy?

In reply to a similar question last Wednesday, I requested the right hon. Gentleman the Member for St. Marylebone (Sir R. Rodd) to repeat the question on Wednesday next, when I hope to give a considered reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the conditions made in relation to the permission afforded Mr. Terakopoff and Dr. Rabinovitch to reside in this country; and whether he has recently received any application far permission to reside in this country on behalf of any persons who have just been appointed directors of the Russian Oil Products, Limited?

Dr. Rabinovitch has been resident in this country since August, 1914, and his stay is not subject to any special conditions. Mr. Terakopoff was given leave to land for three months in March, 1924, and the condition has been varied from time to time. He is at present subject to a condition requiring him to leave the United Kingdom not later than 20th June, 1931. Applications for visas for two persons coming to join the board of Russian Oil Products, Limited, have recently been received.

Has the Parliamentary Secretary received any application from either of the two gentlemen mentioned in the first part of this question to remain longer in this country, or to have the conditions varied, inasmuch as they were ordered to go back to Russia and did not want to return there?

I should require notice of that question. Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will put it down on the Paper.

Can the hon. Gentleman assure the House that there will be no more new permits issued for people to take the places of these gentlemen?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has had any applications during the previous 12 months asking for his intervention to further the release of legionaries of British nationality serving with the French Government; and whether he has taken any action in the matter?

During the past 12 months I have received three applications for assistance in securing the release of British subjects from the French Foreign Legion. In the case of two of these men I addressed appeals to the French Government, who have undertaken to give them careful consideration. In the third case, there were no grounds on which I felt able to take action.

Can my right hon. Friend say when he hopes to get a reply to these two requests?

That rests with the French Government.

Do these people not have to take an oath before a British magistrate, and, if so, would it not be well to inform the magistrates that they should deal very carefully with these people?

I do not think that arises on this question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if be has received information of internal trouble in Venezuela; and if adequate measures will be taken for the security of British interests in that country?

No, Sir. My latest information from His Majesty s Minister at Caracas is that the situation in Venezuela appears to be entirely normal. No special measures to protect British interests in that country are, therefore, proposed.