HC Deb 31 October 1916 vol 86 c1524
61. Mr. D. MASON

asked the Prime. Minister whether, in view of the dispatch of 1st August, 1914, in which the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs stated that the German Ambassador had suggested that, provided that we remained neutral, Germany might guarantee the neutrality of Belgium and the integrity of France and her colonies, he will now explain why the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs stated as the view of His Majesty's Government that we had been asked by Germany to condone the violation of the neutrality of Belgium and to take whatever she liked of the French colonies?

Mr. BONAR LAW

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply returned by my Noble Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the late Member for Merthyr Tydvil on 27th August, 1914, which deals in detail with the point raised by the hon. Member.