50. Sir F. HALLasked the Prime Minister whether he will arrange for the papers relating to Communist intrigues in Great Britain to be issued in a cheap form so that they may be more readily available for the general public?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Ronald McNeill)These papers have received wide publicity in the Press, and I see no reason for incurring further expenditure on issuing a cheap edition.
Sir F. HALLMay I ask whether the Government do not think it advisable 805 that the intrigues of the Russian Government should be known as widely as possible?
§ 57. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Home Secretary whether he has in his possession any other documents besides document 23, on page 53 of Cmd. 2682, implicating the Russian trade delegation in the affairs of the Communist party of Great Britain; and, if there are others, whether he will lay them upon the Table?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Captain Hacking)The first part of the question involves a matter of opinion. We have a great mass of documents of which those already published may be taken to be a sufficiently representative selection. My right hon. Friend does not propose to supplement them.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWhen the Under-Secretary talks of a matter of opinion, is he aware that this document has a separate heading, under which it is described as being evidence that Arcos was in connection with the British Communist party? Is that all the evidence that he has on the subject?
§ Captain HACKINGNo; I think there is other evidence. There is a great mass of documents, but, in the view of the Home Secretary, it was not necessary to publish them all.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIn view of the great importance of deciding whether Arcos has been implicated with the British Communist party, may we not have these papers put on the Table?
§ 58. Mr. B. PETOasked the Home Secretary whether he can give the names of the members of the Soviet Government who are also members of Communist and Labour organisations which have been in communication with Communist organisations in this country, as disclosed by Blue Book [Cmd. 2682], or control those organisations?
§ 60. Sir COOPER RAWSONasked the Home Secretary whether he will supplement the information contained in Cmd. 2682 by stating how many members of the executive of the Russian Soviet Government are also members of the Third International; and what are their names?
§ Captain HACKINGI will answer these questions together. Particulars of the persons mentioned in the Blue Book are given in the Glossary at the end of the volume. My right hon. Friend does not think any useful purpose would be served by, supplementing that publication in the manner proposed.
§ 66. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the cost of producing Cmd. 2682, Communist Papers?
§ 67. Mr. SCURRasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the cost of the preparation and publication of the Paper entitled Communist Papers [Cmd. 2682]?
§ Mr. McNEILLI will answer these questions together. The cost of producing Command Paper 2682 is estimated not to exceed £150 against which will be set receipts from sales which I am not in a position at present to estimate.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY:Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this is about the cheapest destruction of a legend that has ever been perpetrated?
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYHear, hear: The cheapest ever done!