§ 37. Viscount CURZONasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any steps have been or are to be taken to secure the ratification 914 of the other signatories to the Washington Treaty within a reasonable time; whether any representations have been made upon this matter by any other Power; and whether there is any necessity to await ratification by the Powers who have not yet signed?
§ Mr. McNEILLIt is for the United States Government rather than His Majesty's Government to take the initiative in this matter. Consequently, no representations have been made nor have any been received by His Majesty's Government. The latest information in the possession of the Secretary of State is that the Naval Treaty has been ratified by the French Chamber. Otherwise the position is as stated in the reply which I gave to the Noble and gallant Member on the 21st February last. It is provided in the Treaty itself that it shall take effect only on the deposit of all the ratifications.
§ 48. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Prime Minister whether any approach has been made by the Royal Japanese Government to His Majesty's Government with a view to the carrying out of the terms of the Washington Naval Convention by Japan, Great Britain, and the United States of America by mutual agreement, irrespective of the action of France and Italy in not carrying out the terms of the Agreement; what, is the attitude of His Majesty's Government towards this proposal; and whether any part of the Agreement has not been carried into effect already by Great Britain?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Stanley Baldwin)His Majesty's Government have received no such proposal, and the second part of the question therefore does not arise. As regards the last part of the question, the Agreement is being carried out in all parts, but the Treaties of Washington Act, 1922, restricting the building of vessels of war by private firms in certain aspects, has not yet come into operation.