§ 2. Colonel DAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has made any representations to the Permanent Advisory Committee of the League of Nations with a view to having Part 2 of the League of Nations Report on Traffic in Women published; and, if so, if he can state the answer he has received?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINNo, Sir. As stated in reply to the hon. Member on 27th April, publication can only be decided by the Council.
§ Colonel DAYHas the right hon. Gentleman had an opportunity of reading this Report himself yet?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir. I was rapporteur to the Council, and I thought it my duty to read this Report.
§ Colonel DAYDoes the right hon. Gentleman not think that in the public interest this Report ought to be published?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI think there is an exaggerated importance attached to Part 2 of the Report. All that is of substance for the formation of judgment and policy is contained in Part 1. Part 2 is complementary, supplementary and illustrative, but does not really add to the information already in possession of the public. I would like to say that I am not prejudging the question of the publication of Part 2. That rests with the Council which thought— I did not suggest it to them— that it was only courteous to the Governments whose countries were particularly mentioned in Part 2 that they should have an opportunity of seeing the Report beforehand.