HC Deb 30 April 1885 vol 297 cc1114-5
MR. W. J. CORBET

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, With reference to the following statement in The Times of the 28th April:— Our Correspondent in Rome informs us that, if the Vatican proceed, and persists in nominating Dr. Walsh rather than Dr. Donnelly, who is patronised by the English Government, Mr. Errington, who is officially intrusted with the duty of settling with the Holy See ecclesiastical questions connected with England, will immediately leave Rome; whether he will lay upon the Table a Copy of the instructions of Government to Mr. Errington; and, whether his withdrawal from Rome would be followed by the declaration usual in such cases?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

No instructions have been given to Mr. Errington, so it is not in my power to lay them on the Table of the House.

MR. SEXTON

I wish to ask the noble Lord, having regard to the assurances given by the Prime Minister, and by the noble Lord himself in 1883, that a record would be made from time to time, and kept in the Foreign Office, of Mr. Errington's proceedings, whether there is any objection to laying on the Table the record of 1883 of Mr. Erring-ton's visit to Rome? Also whether the present visit is the subject of official record; and whether any Member of Her Majesty's Government is in communication with Mr. Errington in respect to the vacant Archbishopric of Dublin?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

The understanding given in 1883 was that a record would be kept for the information of successive Secretaries of State. I stated, in reply to a Question on June 11, 1883— No Department of the Foreign Office will be charged with making and keeping the record of any correspondence with Mr. Errington. The record of it will eventually be placed in the archives of the Office for the information of successive Secretaries of State."—(3 Hansard, [280] 219.)

MR. SEXTON

Would there be any objection to laying that record, or any portion of it, on the Table?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

Yes, Sir. I have no power at all to undertake to lay any portion of these communications upon the Table of the House.

MR. SEXTON

Is the present visit of Mr. Errington to Rome the subject of a similar record?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

If the hon. Member desires to ask me any further Questions, he had much better place them on the Paper. He can see from my answer that no department of the Foreign Office is charged with keeping this record; and as I only represent the Foreign Office in the House, I am not in a position to reply to the Question of the hon. Member, at least now.

MR. SEXTON

I shall ask to-morrow whether the visit of Mr. Errington to Rome is being made the subject of a record?

MR. HEALY

Might I ask the noble Lord whether it is the intention of the Government to continue Mr. Errington as Ambassador to Rome after the next General Election?

[No reply.]