asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is aware of the concern in Gibraltar at the television broadcast from Spain on 4th January that very soon the Colony will be ceded to Spain; what representations he has made to the Spanish Government on this matter; and whether he will make a statement.

The actual words used in the broadcast were

"Gibraltar will have to be returned to Spain very much sooner than many people expect. In fact very soon".

The speaker was a Professor of Law at Madrid University and there is no reason to suppose that he was expressing anybody's opinion but his own.No representations have been made to the Spanish Government since the attitude of Her Majesty's Government regarding Gibraltar is too well known to warrant an official protest against expression of a personal opinion. Her Majesty's Government stand absolutaely firm on their position in Gibraltar.