§ 45. Captain CROOKSHANKasked the Prime Minister if he is prepared to lay papers showing the correspondence ex-changed with the Governments of the Dominions regarding the signature of the Optional Clause?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI can add nothing to what has already been said in reply to questions on this subject.
§ Captain CROOKSHANKWill the right hon. Gentleman look into this matter and consider whether he cannot lay some sort of White Paper showing what the outward correspondence has been—the dispatches from the Government in London to the Dominion Governments? That would not affect the question of inter-change?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am afraid that it would.
§ Captain CROOKSHANKHow?
§ Sir H. CROFTCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether, in fact, the reservations are similar to those demanded by the late Government, or whether they go beyond them, or are less?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI can only give the answer which the late Government gave to a similar question—that correspondence cannot be laid.
§ Mr. SMITHERSHas the right hon. Gentleman asked the Dominion Governments whether they would have any objection to this correspondence being laid?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe Prime Minister has already said that he has nothing to add to his original reply.