§ THE EARL OF SWINTONMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Government the following Question of which I have given Private Notice:
In view of the publicity concerning the recent incident involving the Queen of the Hellenes will Her Majesty's Government make it clear that in their opinion this should not be allowed to disturb the existing good relations between Britain and Greece?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF HOME)Yes, my Lords. Her Majesty's Government attach the greatest value to our ancient and traditional friendship with Greece and continuing good relations. In addition we value Greece as an ally in NATO and as a co-signatory of the Cyprus Agreement and we trust that this incident for which I have expressed my regrets will not be allowed to damage relations between our two countries.
§ THE EARL OF SWINTONMy Lords, in view of that very satisfactory Answer to me, I take it that the Government would wish to dissociate themselves from the attacks which have been made in this country on the Greek Crown and the Greek Government.
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, I am obliged to my noble friend. He has put his question in such a way that I answer it like this: any formal dissociation is quite unnecessary because, as he will realise, we have not associated ourselves, and do not associate ourselves, with such attacks.
§ LORD CHORLEYMy Lords, will the Foreign Secretary indicate to the Greek Government that if they could adopt a rather more liberal policy towards their political prisoners incidents of this sort would not happen?
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, Greece is a democracy, with a properly elected Government and a constitutional Monarchy. They are perfectly able to look after themselves, and this would not be a proper matter for me to make representations upon.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, is the noble Earl aware that Britain also is a democracy, with a properly elected Government and a constitutional Monarchy, and the citizens of Britain are quite free to express their views about this country, or any other country, in a constitutional manner on whatever subject they wish?
THE EARL OF HOMEThat is perfectly proper, and both noble Lords have just expressed their views and used Parliament for the purpose, but what the noble Lord was asking me to do was to express views to the Greek Government on behalf of Her Majesty's Government.
§ LORD COLYTONMy Lords, is it not a fact that this incident and other similar incidents are part of a planned campaign on the part of the Communists in this country for which a great many people, including some of the popular Press, have been foolish enough to fall?
THE EARL OF HOMEI hope that no one will fall a victim to this Communist campaign. I was thinking back and remember that in 1949 the Under-Secretary in the Foreign Office at the time described the propaganda that was being made then as "a shocking example of mendacity and hypocrisy ". I would not want to alter that.
§ LORD STONHAMIs the noble Lord aware that one does not have to be a Communist to deplore the incarceration of political prisoners for sixteen years?
THE EARL OF HOMEThat is quite true. I hope we shall always be on the side of liberal and humane policies.
§ LORD CHORLEYIs the Foreign Secretary not aware that Mrs. Ambatielos is an English woman whose husband has been in prison for a very long time and is a perfectly reputable trade union leader?
§ LORD KILLEARNMy Lords, will the noble Earl not agree that these attacks on the Queen of Greece were most improper? How could she be held responsible for the acts of her own Government? Surely, that such a thing should have occurred is the grossest discourtesy. We all ought to be ashamed of it.
§ LORD CHORLEYMy Lords, we are not suggesting any responsibility at all. 858 My suggestion was that if they did not keep these people locked up like this these incidents would not occur.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)My Lords, I think we are asking questions at this stage of the proceedings.
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, I think we ought to try to forget the incident and leave it behind us. It was, of course, because I thought that this incident had gone beyond the bounds of a peaceful demonstration that I expressed my regret.