HC Deb 14 April 1927 vol 205 cc532-4
39. Miss LAWRENCE

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether English troops have been employed to picket the Consulate of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics at Shanghai, and to search all who go in or out?

The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Sir Laming Worthington-Evans)

I have been asked to reply. The answer is in the negative.

Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY

Can the Minister say if the police in Shanghai are co-ordinated in any way with the military command, or are the police allowed to take action of this kind without consulting the General Officer Commanding?

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

The police are employed by the municipal Council.

Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY

Is there no consultation with the General Officer Commanding? There may be all sorts of trouble.

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

I do not know. I think in major operations there would be some consultation, but it does not follow that there was any consultation in this case.

Miss LAWRENCE

Can the right hon. Gentleman say that there was no consultation, or is he ignorant on the point?

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

My answer was in the negative.

Miss LAWRENCE

And my supplementary question was whether the Minister knows, or whether he does not know, if there was any consultation. Is he ignorant of the affair? I do not want to be discourteous.

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

I would remind the hon. Member that that was not the original question. The question was whether English troops had been employed in a certain way and not whether I knew; and my answer to that question was in the negative.

Miss LAWRENCE

My supplementary question was whether the Minister knew if there had been any consultation between the chief of the police and the General Officer Commanding.

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

I must ask for notice of any further questions. I have answered the question on the Paper, but the other point I could not ascertain without communicating with Shanghai.

Mr. H. WILLIAMS

Is it not the case that the police in Shanghai act under the control of the President of the Municipal Council, who is an American subject?

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

I have already said that they are employed by the Municipal Council.