House Of Commons Official Report (Overseas Libraries)
2.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many of the overseas libraries of the British Council are regularly supplied with copies of Hansard and with the bound volumes of Hansard?
The British Council have supplied copies of any particular issues asked for by their representatives or institutes overseas, but no regular distribution has been made hitherto.
Does not my right hon. Friend think that in the reference libraries of these places there should be a greater record kept of the Proceedings of this House?
The British Council are quite willing to distribute Hansard regularly to their representatives abroad whenever it can be used to advantage.
Overseaslibraries And Reading-Room Centres
3.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many libraries or reading-room centres have been established overseas by the British Council?
The British Council have founded 67 libraries and reading-room centres overseas. They supply additional books and current periodicals regularly to these, as well as to 17 libraries attached to Anglophil societies and to a large number of university and school libraries.
Is this not exclusive of centres of occupied Europe established before the war?
Oh, yes, I think so.
Tangier (British And French Rights)
6.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now take steps to restore British and French rights at Tangier?
British rights in Tangier are covered by the modus vivendi reached with the Spanish Government early in 1941 about which a full statement was made by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on February 26th, 1941. Under this modus vivendi British rights are fully safeguarded pending a final settlement, which cannot at present be reached, since it is not possible during the war for the signatories of the relevant international instruments to enter into negotiation. I am not prepared to make any statement regarding French rights at Tangier beyond recalling that the provisional arrangement to which I have referred was expressly concluded without prejudice to the rights of third parties under the relevant international instruments.
Am I to understand that the right hon. Gentleman does not regard the present modus vivendi as permanently satisfactory?
As far as I understand Latin, it expresses itself.
Rome (Bombing)
7.
asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give an assurance that no agreement, explicit or tacit, exists that Rome shall not be bombed; and whether, in view of the importance of Rome as a railway centre and the number of targets of military importance in and around the city, the bombing of Rome will be included in the aerial offensive against Italy?
No assurance or agreement exists of any kind whatever that Rome shall not be bombed. On the contrary, as stated to the House on previous occasions, we shall not hesitate to bomb Rome if the course of the war should render such action convenient and helpful.
May I ask my right hon. and gallant Friend whether, in view of the known accuracy of our bombers, he will give instructions that they should avoid the antiquities as far as possible, as in the case of Cologne Cathedral?
I have nothing to add to the reply which I have given en this matter.