HC Deb 24 February 1887 vol 311 cc483-4
MR. P. STANHOPE (Wednesbury)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether the words attributed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in a recent speech, in which he is stated to have said— There are times, and I am not sure we are far from those times, when it may be the duty of the Government to address either words of encouragement, or words of advice, or words of restraint, or words of remonstrance to other Powers, are correctly reported, and reflect the intentions of Her Majesty's Government; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will undertake to place Parliament in full possession of the reasons for any decision at which they may arrive, before addressing words of encouragement or words of remonstrance to Foreign Powers, which may involve this country in very serious responsibilities?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the words referred to are correctly reported; and I quite agree with him that there are times when it may be the duty of the Government of this country to address either words of encouragement, of advice, of restraint, or of remonstrance to other Powers; and it has been the practice, I apprehend, of every Government which has held Office in this country in its conduct of foreign affairs. The hon. Gentleman asks that Parliament may, in effect, previously be informed of the reasons influencing the Government in arriving at any decision before the Foreign Secretary addresses a despatch to a Minister abroad, or holds a conversation with a Foreign Diplomatist at home. I am unable to give the hon. Gentleman this assurance. The Govern- ment are not prepared to divest themselves of their proper responsibility for the conduct of foreign affairs.