§ 46. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Prime Minister whether this House will be invited to approve of or ratify the agreement between the United Kingdom and Transjordania (Cmd. 3069).
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs has been explained before, the ratification of treaties and agreements is the function, not of Parliament, but of the Crown.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think it necessary that we should have a Debate in this House, in view of the fact that we are subsidising a country to which we have given a free Constitution?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am always in favour of a Debate, and it will be possible to raise the subject at any time on the Colonial Office Estimates.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWould it not be possible to get out of this habit of giving free Constitutions to peoples before their Budgets balance; and what opportunity now have we of recovering from Transjordania the money which the taxpayers of this country are spending on it year by year?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat would be a very admirable democratic principle.
§ Captain GARRO-JONESWhen the Prime Minister says that the ratification of treaties is the prerogative of the Crown, does he mean that the prerogative can be exercised without the advice of His Majesty's Ministers?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, Sir.
§ Captain GARRO-JONESIn that case, how is it that we are not to be allowed to raise the matter in Parliament, and ask Ministers as to their responsibility?