asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the present position in Danzig; whether any reports have recently been received from the High Commissioner by the Committee of the League of Nations dealing with the matter; and whether any international negotiations on the subject of Danzig are taking place?

The Committee of Three (France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom), appointed by the Council to follow the situation in Danzig, met in Geneva last week during the session of the Council, and heard a further report from the High Commissioner on the conditions in which he is called upon to carry out his functions and on the developments in the situation in Danzig since their last meeting in September The Committee reviewed the position in the light of the High Commissioner's explanations and approved the issue of a communiqué expressing their appreciation of the manner in which Dr. Burck-hardt was carrying out his task and stating that they did not consider it necessary to propose the inclusion of any question relating to Danzig in the agenda of the current session of the Council. The hon. Member will not expect me to add to this communiqué. The reply to the last part of the question is in the negative.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Committee is satisfied that all the inhabitants of Danzig enjoy their full constitutional liberties gauaranteed by the League?

If the hon. Member will read the communiqué, he will see that the Committee, after hearing the report of the High Commissioner on the development of the situation in Danzig since their last meeting, and after expressing their appreciation of the manner in which the High Commissioner had carried out his task, said that they did not consider that it was necessary for them to propose the inclusion of any question relating to Danzig in the agenda of the present session of the Council. Beyond that, I cannot answer.

Is it not notorious that the constitution has been completely wrecked by the Nazis, and are the Committee satisfied to let that go without saying a word?

If the representatives of France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom thought it best in the circumstances to issue this communiqué and not to add to it, the hon. Member will not expect me to do other.

Are we to understand from the right hon. Gentleman's reply that the High Commissioner's report will not be published, and, if so, is this not the first occasion on which such a report from the High Commissioner has not been published?

I should like to have notice of the second part of that question. It is true that there is no intention to publish anything more than that communiqué, and that was the decision arrived at by the Committee of Three.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any further information to give with regard to the suspension of the service of the external loans of the Brazilian Government which were subscribed in the United Kingdom?

The Brazilian Minister of Finance has been authorised to enter into negotiations with the local representative of the bondholders as regards the resumption of payment on the debt, but I regret to state that despite repeated representations by His Majesty's Ambassador and by the local representative of the Council of Foreign Bondholders no offer for the resumption of payments has yet been made, nor has it yet been possible to fix any date for the opening of negotiations.

I would like to ask the Foreign Secretary why this differentiation of treatment to the Brazilian Government, which is refusing to foot the bill, to meet the demands of the investors of this country? Why is it that the Government can to-day allow the Brazilian Government to get away, as they have got away for years, on those lines, and why is there different treatment from that meted out to Russia when she was being pressed along the same lines?

I am afraid that it has been our experience with a number of countries, including Russia, that payments have not been made. That is not a satisfactory situation, and we do our best to remedy it in all cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he proposes to make representations to the Soviet Government concerning the untrue statements regarding Great Britain and the British Empire contained in books issued by the Soviet Government for use in the Russian schools this year?

No, Sir. The Soviet Government are already aware of the views of His Majesty's Government about propaganda; and I have come to the conclusion that it is not necessary to make special representations regarding school-books.

Might not representations be made, in reference to school books in this country, about the untrue statements that they make about Soviet Russia?

I said that it is not proposed to raise the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has received from the Soviet Government concerning the untrue statements regarding the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics contained in books issued to schools under the Board of Education in England and Wales and the Scottish Office in Scotland?

I have received no representations in this sense.

Does the Foreign Secretary intend to take the matter up with his colleagues, the President of the Board of Education and the Secretary of State for Scotland, with regard to the books being presently issued?

Will my right hon. Friend see that the same formula is applied to propaganda put out by the Anglo-Russian Parliamentary Committee?

I hope that all concerned will take note of these two divergent points of view.

Would not a more suitable person to raise this question be the Russian Ambassador rather than hon. Members opposite?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any statement to make with reference to the situation in Egypt?

No, Sir.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that there is no foundation for the suggestion that the British Government attempted in any way to interfere in connection with the recent changes?

Certainly. We are governed by the terms of the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty, by which we stand.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any statement to make about the possibility of concerted action between the United States of America and the States members of the League against the aggressor in the Far East?

The Council of the League is, I understand, to-day considering a resolution on the Far Eastern situation. Pending their decision, I am not in a position to make any statement on the subject.

Are not the terms of that resolution already published, and in view of it, is not the possibility of this concerted action not ruled out?

I do not know how the second part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question ran. I do not think the terms are published.

May I repeat the second part of my question? In view of the resolution of the Council passed this morning; is it not still possible to secure concerted action against the aggressor in the Far East?

Yes, it is certainly true that there will be nothing—I can assure my hon. Friend—in that resolution which will prevent co-operation between these Powers and other Powers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement with regard to the security of the sterling loans of the Chinese Government which are a charge on the maritime Customs revenues of the treaty ports of China?

His Majesty's Ambassador in Tokyo has under instructions impressed on the Japanese Government the extreme importance which His Majesty's Government attach to the maintenance and protection of their interests in the Customs revenue, and, as I informed the House on 8th December, the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs has assured him that due consideration will be given to the views of foreign Powers. As stated in the answer given to the hon. Member for Kingswinford (Mr. A. Henderson) yesterday, the whole question of the Customs is still under discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any reply to his representations made to the Italian Government, through the Italian Ambassador, in respect of anti-British propaganda carried on from Italian sources?

The situation remains as described in the reply to the hon. Member on 20th December.

Does the Foreign Secretary intend to wait indefinitely until the Italian Government think fit to reply to the representations?

It is not a question of waiting indefinitely. The hon. Member will recall that what I said on 20th December was:

"In view of certain reports which had been received of Italian propaganda in the Near and Middle East, I recently informed the Italian Ambassador that His Majesty's Government were well aware of this propaganda and added that unless it could be brought to an end, it would be impossible to create the atmosphere necessary to the prosecution of successful conversations designed to improve our mutual relations."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 20th December, 1937; col. 1586, Vol. 330.]

That is still the position.

May I ask whether, these representations having been made and no answer having been received, the propaganda is still being carried on?

The position remains exactly as stated there.

The propaganda is still being carried on?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the present position with regard to foreign anti-British broadcasting and the steps taken by the Government to broadcast the truth?

As regards the first part of the question, it is well known that certain Governments regard wireless broadcasting as an instrument of propaganda and control the material broadcast. Inevitably, in so far as the general standpoint of such Governments or their policy in regard to a particular matter may be opposed to the standpoint or policy adopted by this country, the material broadcast from such countries could be described as anti-British. As regards the second part of the question, the House will be aware that broadcasting in this country is in the hands of the British Broadcasting Corporation set up by Royal Charter. I understand that the news bulletins broadcast by the Corporation are compiled from the reports of the British telegraph agencies, and in addition the facilities existing in Government Departments for consultation by the Press are available to the Corporation. The House will also be aware of the decision recently taken by the British Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast in certain foreign languages.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that this new service, obviously set up at the will of the British Government, is being effective in getting the truth right into the ears of the people in the Middle East?

I think the hon. Member can be assured that we are aware of the importance of putting the British point of view to the world, and steps are being taken in that direction.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider laying a White Paper containing examples of the kind of propaganda put out by other Governments, so that the public may judge for itself on authoritative information?

I am quite prepared to consider that suggestion.

Are the Government themselves considering this question as a matter with which it will be necessary to deal over and above what the British Broadcasting Corporation does? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the British Broadcasting Corporation can give only a fraction of the time that foreign Governments give to propaganda?

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain why there is such fierce indignation against Soviet propaganda directed against capitalism and such a placid attitude with regard to anti-British propaganda?

(for Mr. R. Acland) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the broadcasting of propaganda from Italian broadcasting stations has ceased or abated in the last six weeks; and, if not, whether His Majesty's Government has in the last six weeks taken any action or now proposes any action to bring it to an end?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part, I have nothing to add to the full statement made by my Noble Friend the Under-Secretary on the Adjournment on 23rd December.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there are any German, Japanese, or Italian subjects still in the employ of the Secretariat of the League of Nations; and, if so, will he give the numbers of each nationality still so employed?

Yes, Sir. According to the Official Journal of the League of Nations of October, 1937, there were 11 Germans, 31 Italians and three Japanese employed in an official capacity by the Secretariat. Of these I understand that five Italians have since resigned and have left the Secretariat, and the resignation of five further Italians will take effect in six months time.

In view of the fact that neither Germany nor Italy is any longer a member of the League, does the right hon. Gentleman intend to ask for the resignation of the Italian and German members of the staff?

I do not think that in any event that would be a matter for me. The hon. Member will bear in mind that members of the Secretariat are not representatives of their Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make any statement on the possibility of interference with the upper waters of the Nile caused by the operations on Lake Tsana?

I am unaware of any operations having taken place on Lake Tsana which would interfere with the upper waters of the Nile.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information to give the House as to the position of affairs in Spain?

In spite of unfavourable weather conditions, offensive operations on a large scale began shortly before Christmas in the Province of Teruel and have not yet been suspended. In recent weeks raids by insurgent bombing aeroplanes have greatly increased in intensity and have inevitably led to retaliatory action. His Majesty's Government view with profound concern this intensification of aerial bombardment, which has resulted in considerable loss of life and the infliction of cruel injuries among the civil population, and they are urgently considering what steps they can take to bring about some alleviation of these sufferings. I need hardly add that they would at all times be ready to join in any international endeavour to this end.

In the meanwhile I think the House would like to have some information with regard to the negotiations which have lately been taking place with a view to the exchange on a large scale of prisoners and other persons detained by one or other side. After the collapse of the resistance of the Spanish Government forces in North West Spain in October last, the Spanish Ambassador inquired whether His Majesty's Government would be prepared to approach the Insurgent authorities with a view to concluding an agreement whereby such elements of the civil population in the Northern area as desired to leave would be exchanged for certain categories of prisoners and other persons detained by the Spanish Government. The Ambassador was informed that, if he obtained definite proposals on this subject from his Government, His Majesty's Government would be glad to communicate them to the Insurgent authorities and to urge the latter to give them favourable consideration. This was done.

Towards the end of November the Insurgent authorities replied by submitting counter-proposals for a general exchange of prisoners and hostages, to include military and political prisoners, refugees in the foreign missions and other persons not under arrest but merely detained, and suggested the appointment of a British arbitrator for the purpose of preparing and carrying out the exchanges. These counter-proposals were in their turn submitted to the Spanish Ambassador, who replied on 13th January that they were agreeable in principle to his Government, provided that the exchanges applied to the whole of Spain and not merely to the northern area, and that they were carried out on the basis of strict reciprocity. The British Agent at Salamanca has accordingly now been instructed to obtain confirmation from the Insurgent authorities that the proposals for a general exchange set out in their Note and in the Spanish Government's reply thereto are acceptable as a basis for further negotiation, in which case His Majesty's Government would at once proceed to appoint an arbitrator for this purpose.

At the same time long and difficult negotiations have been taking place for the exchange of 200 Basque prisoners for an equivalent number of persons held prisoner by the Spanish Government. The exchange of the first batch of 41 was carried out on 20th January, thanks to the untiring efforts of His Majesty's representatives at Barcelona and Hendaye and to the International Red Cross delegate at Barcelona, under whose auspices the negotiations have been carried out.

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for the very full information he has given to the House on various matters, may I ask him whether in the declaration that His Majesty's Government would welcome co-operation with other countries to bring about the cessation of bombing of towns and of the innocent people in them, it would not be appropriate to intimate to the Non-intervention Committee, an international body already in existence, that there is strong ground to assume that these attacks have been caused by nations signatory to the Pact of Non-intervention; and whether that is not a base on which to begin in this matter? Has he found that these wanton attacks on innocent people are due to nations who have pledged themselves not to intervene, and should not special notice be taken of it?

I have had all aspects of this question under consideration, and on reflection I think that in the first instance I would prefer to take the first step in another way, which obviously I would rather not indicate to the House at the moment until I see the result of these endeavours. Should they not be successful, my mind is not closed to other methods of approach.

Can my right hon. Friend give any information with regard to the additional 50,000 Italian troops which are said to be ready to proceed to Spain? Does he propose to initiate any international action to prevent their arriving?

My hon. Friend will see from his own question that it is impossible for me to have information about 50,000 troops in Italy said to be going to Spain.

In view of the fact that that it is in all sections of the Press, do the British Government, with all their sources of information, know nothing about it?

I have no information which would substantiate the suggestion that numbers of troops are in Italy ready to go to Spain. In the circumstances the House will recognise that in any event that is hardly a subject on which I could pronounce.

Will the Foreign Secretary make inquiries?

Could the right hon. Gentleman say, in connection with the exchange of prisoners, whether it is possible to take any precautions regarding the military prisoners to prevent their becoming combatants again? Otherwise, the result might merely be the prolongation of the war without any reduction of human suffering?

I am obliged to my hon. Friend. There are plenty of difficulties in this matter and I would prefer, if I might, to deal with them confidentially, and not publicly.

Does not the incident quoted by my right hon. Friend clearly show the value and advantages of having a British agent in Nationalist Spain?

Will the right hon. Gentleman give instructions to British diplomatic and consular agents in Italy to make reports concerning any troop movements which have a bearing on this matter?

Our diplomatic and consular agents everywhere have, as the hon. Gentleman must know, instructions as to what they are to report in the ordinary course of their duties.

If it is the case that there are 50,000 troops in Italy ready to. go to Spain, what action are the Government prepared to take to prevent them from getting there?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has now considered the memorial prepared in Ceylon by a committee, including a former Supreme Court Judge, a former Solicitor-General, the President of the European Association, the leader of the Bar, and two former Ministers, asking for the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the working of the constitution of Ceylon; and whether he has any statement to make?

I have nothing to add to the replies given to my hon. Friend and others on 9th and 13th December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has a statement to make as to the present position in Palestine?

I have nothing to add to my reply of yesterday to the questions of the hon. Members for Bethnal Green, South-West (Sir P. Harris) and Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to make a statement as to the Government's intentions with regard to the future system of administration in Palestine?

I have nothing to add to the statement of the intentions of His Majesty's Government, in the form of a despatch to the High Commissioner for Palestine dated 23rd December, 1937, which has recently been published as Command Paper No. 5634.

Is it proposed to permit Jewish immigration on a larger scale, in view of the considerable period that must lie ahead before anything can be done?

That is a matter which will come up for consideration by the Government after 31st March next, and no decision has yet been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the amount for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date paid by Great Britain under Article 11 of the treaty between Great Britain and the Amir of Transjordan for the purpose of keeping British forces on the Transjordan frontier; the amounts, separately, which are made up for the Transjordan frontier force grant-in-aid; and the capital cost of works in Transjordan?

In accordance with the terms of Article 12 of the Agreement of 1928 between His Majesty and the Amir of Transjordan, the following payments were made by His Majesty's Government during the 12 months ended 31st March, 1937, in respect of the proportion of local defence expenditure chargeable, under Article 11 of the Agreement, on the revenues of Transjordan:

Can the Minister say whether he expects that the excess cost of this force will be borne by the Transjordan revenues?

No, I cannot possibly say.

Will the capital costs be borne by them?

The agreement on that matter still stands.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to make a statement as to the situation in Trinidad; whether any changes are contemplated in the local government; and whether any regular troops will be stationed there in the future?

I have received no information from the Government of Trinidad since the report of the Commission was published yesterday, but up till then the situation was quiet. With regard to the second part of the question, the hon. and gallant Member will now be aware that the appointment of a new Governor was recently announced in the Press, consequent upon the resignation of Sir Murchison Fletcher on grounds of ill-health. It has also been decided to appoint an Industrial Adviser to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. The question whether the presence of a permanent garrison in Trinidad is justified in the general interests of Imperial defence is being examined.

Is there any validity in the statement published today that further riots have broken out in Trinidad following the publication of the report?

I have no confirmation of that report, which I have seen in only one paper.

Would it not be a logical outcome of the report that such a state of things should arise?

Has the industrial adviser any military training?

No, he is one of the staff of the Ministry of Labour here, and he is shortly sailing for Trinidad.

Do the Government propose to provide a day for the discussion of this report?

That is not a matter for me to decide.

Will the Government see that the official concerned does not draw his unemployment pay for six weeks?

In view of the opinions expressed in this House last night, which show that several Members do not seem to have been correctly informed on this matter, does not my right hon. Friend think that it would somewhat clear the air if there was a debate in the near future on the Commission's report?

The question of the allocation of the time of the House is not a matter for me but for the Leader of the House.

(for Mr. McGovern) asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the names of the sugar companies in Trinidad who have benefited from the sugar subsidy; the amount of benefit in each case; and what proportion of this benefit has been passed on in increased wages over the same period in each case?

All individuals and companies who grow or crush sugar-cane in Trinidad, as in all other Colonies, benefit by the preference on sugar in the United Kingdom and Canada, to which I assume the hon. Member is referring. The extent to which they benefit is determined by the scale of their operations. It is impossible to state the amounts involved and the use to which they have been put.

I imagine that my hon. Friend wants something different from the answer which the right hon. Gentleman has given. Could the right hon. Gentleman give us the names of some of the principal beneficiaries?

No, I do not think I could possibly do so. The custom in Trinidad is for growers to grow the cane on their own holdings and take it to various factories, and it is impossible to give the names of individuals.

May I take it that there are no distinguished British capitalists who are getting a share of this particular type of "swag"?

There are some British companies which crush cane in Trinidad. Notably, a large concern operating there is Tate and Lyle.

Has the right hon. Gentleman any evidence of any increase of wages having taken place since the preference has been in force?

I would like notice as regards the amount; there certainly have been increases.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what arrangements have now been made for the establishment of an airport for London at Fairlop, Essex; and what transport facilities are available, or will be made available, in that connection?

I understand that negotiations by the City of London authorities for the establishment of an airport at Fairlop are still proceeding, but are not yet complete. The question of communications is one for the City of London authorities, and I am informed that they have this matter under consideration.

Is it not a fact that these negotiations have lasted now for a period of years, and is there any likelihood that a conclusion will be reached on this pressing matter within a reasonable time?

Negotiations have been proceeding for a long time. They are a matter for the City of London, the Ilford Borough Council and the Commissioners of Crown Lands. I understand that progress has been made.

Have any representations been made to these bodies as to the urgency of this matter, or are we to hear year after year that negotiations are still in progress?

I think the needs of the case are particularly appreciated by the three bodies concerned.

asked the Postmaster-General how much money was stolen from the Mayford, Woking, sub-post office on Wednesday, 22nd December; and whether there were one or more officials in the office at the time?

The amount of official money stolen from the post office was 10s. The premises were occupied by the sub-postmaster and his wife when the office was burgled.

Is that one of the evils of nationalisation?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he will consider, in the interests of justice, where an appeal is pending and the convicted person is detained in custody, so altering the law that sentence shall always run from the date of the original conviction?

I presume that my hon. Friend has in mind cases where the appeal is to the Court of Criminal Appeal. The Criminal Appeal Act specifically provides that the time spent in custody by the appellant shall not count as part of his sentence unless the court otherwise directs, and my right hon. Friend does not think that it would be in the interests of justice to amend the law in the sense suggested.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the effect of the present rule is to increase the period of detention where an appeal is unsuccessful, and that the rule is therefore in effect a clog upon the right of appeal?

My hon. Friend has to remember that cases coming before courts where appeals may arise to the Court of Criminal Appeal have already been judged by a judge and jury, and that the provision of the Act was designed to discourage frivolous appeals. In any case, the court has the right to direct when sentences shall begin.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the recurrence of slate and loan depredations at the post-Christmas season; whether he can give the number of prosecutions and suicides; and whether he will consider the need for a change in the law governing the operation of these organisations?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The information for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks in the second part is not available, but I am informed that, so far as London is concerned, the number of complaints of defalcations in connection with slate, loan and benefit clubs received by the Metropolitan Police in 1937 was 33, and that in 30 of these cases there were prosecutions. The Metropolitan Police have no knowledge of any suicides directly due to these offences. The question of taking statutory power to control such clubs, which has often been considered, presents considerable difficulties.

With a view to encouraging the increased purchase of National Saving Certificates by these loan clubs, will the Treasury or the Home Office be prepared to advise clubs on suitable and adequate safeguards?

I will consider my hon. and gallant Friend's point. There is, however, no difficulty in framing satisfactory rules for those clubs who will apply them. The difficulty as regards legislation is to provide something that would not be unduly repressive in regulating the large number of clubs which exist.

Will the Financial Secretary be kind enough to bear in mind the remarks that are made from time to time by magistrates who have to deal with this question?

Do the figures quoted for London include what are known as "diddlum" clubs?

asked the Minister of Labour the percentage in crease as compared with 1914 in the retail price of food and coal for domestic use, respectively, on 1st January, 1938?

On 1st January, 1938, the official cost-of-living index numbers showed an increase, as compared with July, 1914, of 45 per cent. in retail prices of food, and between 95 and 100 per cent. in retail prices of coal for domestic use.

Having regard to the fact that coal has increased in price very much more than foodstuffs, will the Financial Secretary call the attention of the Secretary for Mines to the matter, in view of forthcoming legislation?

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman, in view of the information supplied to the hon. Member, cause inquiries to be made as to why the price of coal has gone up so much?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men, women, and young persons registered as employed in the cotton trade in January, 1938, also the number of workpeople unemployed from the cotton trade in January, 1938?

Statistics for January are not yet available. If the hon. Member will repeat his question on this day week, I shall be able to give him the particulars he desires.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any of the juvenile advisory committees have presented re ports as to which work should be considered as beneficial employment for boys and girls?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Labour when the reports of the Juvenile Advisory Councils will be published as showing the work done in 1937?

The reports of the National Advisory Councils for Juvenile Employment, which my right hon. Friend received in 1937, have already been published, and he hopes to receive and to publish, shortly, the Annual Report of the London Regional Advisory Council. The work of local committees will be reviewed in the Annual Report of the Ministry of Labour.

When are we likely to have the reports of the London Juvenile Advisory Council and the other councils for the year 1937?

The first will be published shortly, and the others in due course.

(for Mr. McGovern) asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the many libels on public men made by the British Union of Fascists in its paper "Action" and other publications, and that when court action is taken and favourable decisions given against this organisation or paper the procedure is to go bankrupt in order to prevent the law from being carried out; and will he take steps to amend the law with a view to putting an end to such practices?

I am aware that there have been certain libel actions against companies connected with the British Union of Fascists; but the only case known to the Board of Trade in which the company concerned has gone into liquidation is that of British Union of Fascist Publications, Limited, against which damages were awarded in November, 1936. In that case, however, the petition for a winding-up order was made by the successful plaintiffs themselves, and not by the company. I am aware of no amendment of the law which would ensure that a successful plaintiff in a similar case would obtain payment in full of damages awarded to him by the Court.

(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action he proposes to take relative to the sinking of the "Endymion"?

His Majesty's Government are deeply concerned at the attack on the Steamship "Endymion," which was an ordinary British commercial vessel, flying the British flag, lawfully engaged in sailing the high seas, and upon which no attack could in any circumstances be justified. In view of this revival of piracy, they have taken steps to arrange for a meeting with the representatives of the French and Italian Governments, as being the two Powers jointly concerned with them in carrying out the naval patrols in the Mediterranean, under the terms of the Nyon Agreement and the further Agreement concluded at Paris on 30th September last. This meeting will take place at the Foreign Office this afternoon. The House will appreciate that in the meanwhile it will not be possible for me to give details of any proposals which His Majesty's Government may think it desirable to put forward at that meeting with a view to preventing a recurrence of further incidents of this kind. Steps are also being taken to obtain a full report of events in relation to the sinking of the Steamship "Endymion." When this report is received, they will then consider the action to be taken with the authorities responsible for this entirely unwarranted attack upon a British merchant ship.

Will the Government consider, with a view to preventing these outrages, notifying General Franco that any further outrages on British subjects will be met by the confiscation of one or more of his ships?

Take the lot from him.

I have told the House that His Majesty's Government have certain proposals to make in this connection to two foreign Powers this afternoon, and I think the House would prefer that I make no further statement.

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that, in advance of general agreement with the other Powers concerned in the Nyon patrol, the Government will take effective steps to give protection to British ships on the high seas off the coast of Spain?

Yes, Sir. The steps for strengthening the patrol have already been taken.

Have definite instructions been given to British naval commanders in the Mediterranean to counter-attack, and, if possible, destroy, any pirate submarine, as provided for in the Nyon Agreement?

Yes, Sir. That is part of the Agreement, and they have instructions to carry out the Agreement.

Have the instructions been given?

Will the Foreign Secretary ascertain, for the information of the House and the public, whether it is true that extra destroyers and submarines have been supplied by the Italian Government to the Franco authority?

That has nothing to do with the immediate question before the House. I have to deal with a particular incident connected with a submarine.