§ 7. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the presence of Italian volunteers in Majorca and the consequences of their presence there for an indefinite period, he will arrange for the presence of similar British volunteers in Minorca and Port Mahon with the consent of the Spanish Government?
§ 8. Lieut.-Commander FLETCHERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any statement to make regarding the landing of 6,000 Germans at Cadiz?
§ 13. Mr. NOEL-BAKERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any information from His Majesty's missions in Berlin and Madrid concerning the number of Germans who have proceeded from Germany to Spain to join General Franco's forces?
§ 17. Sir PERCY HARRISasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to the landing at Cadiz of 2,000 or more German nationals provided with equipment; and whether the members of the Non-intervention Committee propose to make representations to their respective Governments to prevent as far as is in their power the enlistment of their nationals in the forces engaged in the civil war in Spain?
§ Mr. EDENInformation has been received that the number of Germans recently landed in Cadiz is about 5,000. This information has come direct from Cadiz and Seville. I have not received any reports from other sources regarding the numbers of these men. Information has also been received that there are large numbers of Italians serving with the forces in Majorca and large numbers of Russians and other foreigners fighting for the Government in Madrid. As I have previously indicated to the House, 1617 His Majesty's Government strongly deprecate the participation of volunteers from other countries in the fighting in Spain. At my request, the Chairman of the Nonintervention Committee read out a statement to the sub-committee on Friday last, setting out His Majesty's Government's anxieties on this score and urging most strongly that the committee should take the matter at once into consideration and agree upon measures to put a stop to this practice. As a result the sub-committee drew up a general outline of proposals for submission to the main committee, and I understand that these proposals are to be put into final shape at a further meeting this afternoon.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Germans occupy the Canaries, and will he consider the question whether the occupation by this country of Port Mahon and Minorca in the interests of the Spanish Government is desirable, as long as the Italians remain in the other Balearic Islands?
§ Mr. EDENI have no information about the Canaries. My object is to put a stop to this on the part of everybody.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the 5,000 Germans landed at Cadiz were volunteers?
§ Mr. NOEL-BAKERHas the right hon. Gentleman information confirming the statement that these Germans are in fact members of the German Army?
§ Mr. SHINWELLApart from the representations to the Non-Intervention Committee, have any special representations been made to the German, Italian and Russian Governments on this matter?
§ Mr. EDENNo. In the first instance we have brought it before the Non-Intervention Committee. It will be for us to judge after to- day's proceedings what further action may be desirable or not.
§ Mr. THURTLEDoes the right hon. Gentleman think that the fact that this Government deprecates the use of these foreign troops in Spain is likely to have any influence whatever upon Berlin?
§ 9. Mr. BELLENGERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether 1618 he has any information as to the declaration by the Spanish rebel forces of a blockade of certain portions of the southern Spanish coast; and Whether His Majesty's Government recognise the validity of this operation?
§ Mr. EDENI have no information about the declaration of such a blockade. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.
§ Mr. BELLENGERHas not information of this nature been given to one of His Majesty's representatives in that area?
§ Mr. EDENI am not sure to what the hon. Member refers, but I can give him the assurance that we recognise no blockade.
§ 16. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what functions are being fulfilled by His Majesty's Ambassador to Spain, who is at Hendaye, in France; and whether he is maintaining communication with the Spanish Government?
§ Mr. EDENAmongst the various duties of His Majesty's Ambassador are those of advising and reporting to His Majesty's Government regarding the Spanish situation, of supervising the work of His Majesty's consular officers in Northern Spain, of maintaining contact with the insurgent authorities at Burgos on humanitarian questions and other matters of interest to His Majesty's Government, and of assisting the representative of the International Red Cross in his humanitarian activities. Communications between His Majesty's Government and the Government at Madrid pass through His Majesty's Embassy at Madrid or the Spanish Embassy in London.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSDoes the right hon. Gentleman regard that as a more efficient method of maintaining contact with the Spanish Government?
§ Mr. EDENYes, in all the circumstances. It is an arrangement which has been come to for the time being, and is the same as that practised by almost every other Government.
Vice-Admiral TAYLORCan the right hon. Gentleman say where the Spanish Government is at present situated?
§ 41. Lieut.-Commander FLETCHERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any reports have been renewed. from His Majesty's ships concerning the escorting of a German transport conveying German nationals to Cadiz by ships of the German Navy?
Lord STANLEYI can only repeat that we have received no information from any of His Majesty's ships.
§ 50. Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the Secretary of State for War, where the military attaché and the assistant military attaché to the British Embassy in Spain are now; whether instructions have been given to them to obtain all possible data with regard to present methods of warfare being carried on in Spain; and whether he has any information as to what instructions have been given to the military attachés of the other principal Powers in this connection?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Duff Cooper)The British military attache and assistant military attaché accredited to Spain are also accredited to France and Portugal, with their headquarters in Paris. An additional temporary assistant military attache has recently been appointed who is now at the British Embassy at Hendaye. Military attaches are, of course, instructed to furnish any information that may be of interest or value. As regards the third part of the question, I have no information.