§ SIR RANDAL CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston)I beg to ask the Prime Minister, if he will state whether the Government have done anything to give effect to the statement made by Sir Edward Fry, the chief British representative at the Hague Conference, on 18th August last year, viz.: The Government of Great Britain will be prepared to communicate annually to Powers which would pursue the same course the programme for the construction of new ships of war and the expenditure which this programme would entail. This exchange of information would facilitate an exchange of views between the Governments on the subject of the reductions which it might be possible to effect by mutual agreement. The British Government believes that in this way it might be possible to arrive at an understanding with regard to the expenditure which the States which should undertake to adopt this course would be justified in incorporating in their estimates; whether, in accordance with the terms and spirit of the offer made by Sir Edward Fry, any communications have passed between any of the Governments represented at 1133 the Conference; and, if none of the Powers have approached each other upon the subject, whether His Majesty's Government is prepared to take the initiative in opening up communications with naval Powers with a view to a common understanding in regard to armaments, especially the Powers whoso reputed increase of armaments has led to uneasiness in the public mind.
§ MR. ASQUITHI must refer my hon. friend to the Answer given by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on the 13th ultimo to the hon. Member, for King's Lynn. So far as we are aware no communications of the nature specified have passed between any Powers on the subject, but the offer of His Majesty's Government is known to all of them, and no useful purpose would be served by our initiating further action until some other Power intimates its willingness to receive and exchange any such communication.
§ MR. BOWLES (Lambeth, Norwood)Does this involve a proposal that our building programme and its cost should be communicated to foreign Powers before it is communicated to this House? If so, did the Government authorise such a proposal?
§ MR. ASQUITHI think the language of Sir Edward Fry speaks for itself. If the hon. Gentleman wishes for further explanation he had better put down a Question.