asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the assurances given to the people of Syria and the Lebanon as to their sovereign independence and right to control their own armed forces, he will state the policy of His Majesty's Government with regard to the recent arrival of fresh French troops in those countries.

I have nothing to add, for the moment, to the reply which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Carlisle (Sir E. Spears) yesterday.

Is it not the first duty of a mandatory Government to clear out as soon as possible, and do His Majesty's Government consider that there is any-real reason from a mandatory point of view for the retention of French troops in either Syria or the Lebanon?

It is very difficult to debate these complicated matters at Question Time. As I told the hon. Member yesterday, we have taken a certain initiative in an attempt to improve matters in that region and I should like to see the results of the initiative that we have taken. When I know, I will report to the House. In the meantime, I had rather not say any more.