§ MR. CUMMING MACDONA (Southwark, Rotherhithe)On behalf of the honourable Member for the Central Division of Sheffield I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that the popularly elected Legislatures of other countries impose close restrictions upon Parliamentary interrogation upon Foreign Affairs and pending negotiations with other Governments; and whether, having regard to the international difficulties and misunderstandings which may be produced by public questionings without adequate consideration on matters in progress, the Secretary of State will consider the desirability of proposing a Standing Order providing that a Question upon Foreign Affairs shall not be put without six days' notice, and that if the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs intimate in writing to the Speaker that a particular Question upon Foreign Affairs is prejudicial to the interests of the Empire, it shall be removed from the Order Book?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. ST. JOHN BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordI believe that very close restrictions are imposed in Foreign Legislatures on Parliamentary interrogations on Foreign Affairs. In this country greater latitude has been given, but the Government, while satisfied that the recent decision to demand notice of all Foreign Office Questions is necessary in the public interest, do not deem it necessary to ask the House for further restrictions.