HL Deb 02 July 1958 vol 210 cc445-6
EARL HOWE

My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the statement of His Grace the Most Reverend Archbishop of Canterbury about his invitation to Makarios to attend the Lambeth Conference that he sought the advice of Her Majesty's Government, it can be stated what Department or which Minister was so consulted and, if so, what was the nature of the communications which took place, and whether it is a fact that Her Majesty's Government never gave any indication that Makarios would be an undesirable visitor.]

THE MINISTER of STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF PERTH)

My Lords, early in the year the Colonial Office were informed that Makarios was among those whom the Archbishop of Canterbury proposed to invite. Shortly before the invitation was despatched, the Colonial Office and the Foreign Office were both informed. The Archbishop of Canterbury's representative was advised that in the judgment of Her Majesty's Government the matter was an ecclesiastical one.

EARL HOWE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether it is not a fact that this invitation became public just about the time when the Archbishop was reported to have said: Responsibility for the bestial vandalisms in Cyprus rests not only with the barbarous Turkish mob, but equally if not actually more with the British administration, with whose connivance or blessing this frightful orgy of blood, arson and spoliation is being perpetrated."? Does the noble Earl really tell us that Her Majesty's Government blessed the invitation to this fellow?

THE EARL OF PERTH

My Lords, there was no question of Her Majesty's Government blessing or not blessing the invitation. On the question of timing, I believe I am right in saying that the invitation was issued before Archbishop Makarios made his statement.

EARL WINTERTON

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether it is not abundantly clear from his Answer that Her Majesty's Government, very properly, took no responsibility for this visit, and that the responsibility was solely that of the Archbishop?

THE EARL OF PERTH

My Lords, that is correct.