HC Deb 20 February 1929 vol 225 cc1122-3
47. Mr. AMMON

asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to a statement made by the Minister of Posts and Telegraphs of the Union of South Africa that the South African Government will not participate in a scheme which would confer on the existing wireless company, or any possible future combined wireless and cable company, a sole monopoly of foreign wireless communications; and whether, in view of this statement, any change is contemplated in the policy of handing over imperial telegraphic communications to a privately-owned communications company?

The PRIME MINISTER

As regards the first part of this question, I have seen a report in the Press in which a statement is attributed to the Minister of Posts and Telegraphs of the Union of South Africa to the effect that he did not think that any Government of the Union of South Africa would confer on the existing South African Wireless Company or any possible future combined wireless and cable company a sole monopoly of all foreign wireless communications. The hon. Member will also doubtless have seen a report in the Press of a further statement made by the Minister to Reuter's correspondent. As regards the second part of the question, it does not appear to me that acceptance by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom of the recommendations of the Imperial Wireless and Cable Conference, 1928, would conflict in any way with a policy such as is described in the Press reports.

Mr. AMMON

Why were we not informed of this arrangement when the Bill was going through?

The PRIME MINISTER

If the hon. Member has any further questions to put, I should be glad if he would put them down on the Order Paper. I have answered the hon. Member's question. I cannot see that even that report of the speech, if we were to consider such things, in any way affects what the Government have done. If there is any matter to be communicated to us on this question, it should be communicated to us by the Government of South Africa.

Mr. AMMON

Would it not make a difference if we were told that the Dominion Governments were parties to this scheme, and afterwards one of them announced that it is not going to be a party to it? Does that not show that the House was misled?

The PRIME MINISTER

We must await a statement of that kind from the Government concerned, and we cannot take what we see in the Press.