§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Anglo-Japanese Agreement of 12th August, 1905, which has been revised and renewed for a period of ten years from the 13th instant, was concluded the day after the prorogation on 11th August, 1905, of a Parliament which never met again, but was dissolved six months afterwards, the treaty being thus kept before its conclusion from the knowledge of Parliament and after its conclusion from being the subject of the expression of Parliamentary opinion, favourable or otherwise; on what grounds has the recently concluded Anglo- 1256 Japanese Agreement been kept from the knowledge of Parliament and concluded without its sanction, and why were the representatives of the nation precluded from the expression of their views on its merits and deprived of the gratification of being factors in its achievement; and, having regard to the fact that the revision of the Anglo-Japanese Agreement of 1905 effected by the recent agreement has in the main been rendered advisable and advantageous by the fact that Great Britain is negotiating a general arbitration treaty with the United States, which will not be concluded without the approval of the Senate of the United States and of the House of Commons, what is the reason for the taking of the House of Commons into confidence by the Government in respect to the proposed arbitration treaty with the United States and keeping the House of Commons in the dark with reference to the revision of a treaty rendered necessary by the arbitration treaty as a condition precedent to its conclusion; whether he has any, and, if so, what, explanation to make of the concealment till its conclusion of this treaty from the House of Commons and the committal thereby of these countries, without their sanction or knowledge, to grant international liabilities or obligations; and what is the reason for this practice of secrecy, having regard to the new Imperial policy of admitting the Prime Ministers of the Dominions to complete confidence by submitting to them the general foreign policy of the country inaugurated at the Imperial Conference?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Edward Grey)I can add nothing to the very exhaustive answers given to the hon. and learned Member on the 11th May, and what I have previously said this Session about the constitutional practice in concluding treaties. We have observed constitutional practice; the hon. Member desires that we should depart from it.
§ Mr. MacNEILLIs not this constitutional practice of keepng the House of Commons in the dark with reference to treaties comparatively of very recent origin indeed?
§ Sir E. GREYIt has obtained as long as. I have been in the House of Commons.
§ Mr. MacNEILLYes, and as long as I have been in the House of Commons, but certainly not in Gladstone's early days; and he protested against it.
§ Mr. MacNEILLCan the right hon. Gentleman reconcile the fact that this House is going to have full power of discussion over the Anglo-American agreement with the fact that we have had no power over the other?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is an argumentative question.
§ Mr. MacNEILLI am afraid it is so.
§ Viscount WOLMERasked whether the draft of the recent Anglo-Japanese Treaty was shown to the Prime Ministers of the over-sea Dominions at the Imperial Conference; whether they approved of it; whether the Dominions are thereby committed to the treaty in a greater degree than merely as parts of His Majesty's Empire; and whether the Japanese Government were informed as to what course of action would be pursued by the Dominions should Great Britain be involved in a war under Article 2 of the treaty?
§ Sir E. GREYI must refer the Noble Lord to the reply given by the Colonial Secretary to a question on this subject yesterday. The action to be taken by the Dominions in any war in which His Majesty's Government may be engaged is a matter to be considered by His Majesty's Government in consultation with the Dominions, and is not one for discussion with any foreign Government.
§ Viscount WOLMERWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Anglo-Japanese Treaty represents the foreign policy of the Dominions as well as of this country?
§ Sir E. GREYThe Colonial Secretary said yesterday that the question of the treaty had been discussed with the representatives of the Dominions, and that they had unanimously agreed to it; and that is the case.