§ 54. Mr. SWANasked the Prime Minister whether it was with his sanction that on 21st February Mr. Philip Kerr sent a letter to Mr. Bullitt enclosing a note of the sort of conditions upon which it would be possible for the Allied Governments to resume once more normal relations with Soviet Russia, stating that they had no official significance and merely represented personal suggestions of the Prime Minister?
§ Mr. BONAR LAW (Leader of the House)The answer to this question is in the negative.
§ 57. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Prime Minister whether he has given attention to the evidence tendered by Mr. W. C. Bullitt when summoned before the Foreign Relations Committee of the United States Senate on 12th September; whether he authorised the Foreign Office to issue a statement that his evidence was a tissue of lies; whether he has now seen the official report of this evidence; whether the Government attitude towards it remains as stated by the Foreign Office; and whether he will make a statement on the subject?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe answer to the first and third parts of this question arc in the negative. As regards the second part, the Prime Minister authorised the statement to which he adheres in regard to the report of Mr. Bullitt's evidence as it appeared in the Paris Press on the day following Mr. Bullitt's testimony, and he does not propose to make any further statement on the subject.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODAre we to understand that the right hon. Gentleman will not examine Mr. Bullitt's evidence as now reported in full? Does he still maintain that it is a tissue of lies?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWExtraordinary as it may seem to my hon. Friend, my right hon. Friend has not personally read the report, but it has been examined for him, and he adheres to his statement that it is a tissue of falsehoods.