§ 24. Mr. LUNNasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a delegation of Russian co-operators had proposed to visit this country with a view to opening up trade in accordance with the the recent decisions of the Allies; whether the British Government has refused to grant passports to some members of the delegation; if so, who were these members; and on what grounds were they refused passports to visit this country for a purpose approved by His Majesty's Government in conjunction with the Allies?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the latter parts of the question, His Majesty's Government have raised no objection to the admission to this country of the members of the delegation with the sole exception of M. Litvinoff, to whom, in view of the incidents which arose in 1918, they cannot see their way to grant facilities to return to England.
§ Mr. A. WILLIAMSIs the hon. Gentle man aware that of these five Russian delegates supposed to be co-operators only one is known to the International Co-operative Alliance as being a co-operator at all?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI was not aware of that.
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONIs M. Krassin accepted?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODHe is one of the representatives of the co-operators whose admission to this country has been accepted.