HC Deb 30 July 1930 vol 242 cc459-60
1. Mr. DAY

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there are any States that have failed to ratify the gas protocol; and whether any information has been given to the Secretary-General of the League as to the reason why these signatories have refused to ratify?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Dalton)

Twenty-six of the signatories to tale Protocol have now ratified it, but the following nineteen signatories have not yet done so: Abyssinia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Greece, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Salvador, Siam, Switzerland, United States of America, and Uruguay. I understand that the Netherlands are taking steps to ratify the Protocol shortly. So far as I am aware, none of the above States has informed the Secretary-General of the League of its reasons for not ratifying the Protocol.

Mr. DAY

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether those States which have ratified have done so without reservation?

Mr. DALTON

I should like to have notice of that question. The conditions of ratification vary in different cases.