HC Deb 05 November 1930 vol 244 cc827-8
2. Sir ASSHETON POWNALL

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has received a reply from the Portuguese Government on the question of the discrimination against British shipping?

Mr. A. HENDERSON

I regret that repeated representations to the Portuguese Government on the subject have, as yet, produced no official reply. On the 7th of August the Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Lisbon explained verbally to His Majesty's Ambassador that the question was in the hands of a technical committee. Since that date Sir Francis Lindley, in the hope of expediting the reply of the Portuguese Government, has discussed the matter informally with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who stated that the technical committee had not yet reported. His Majesty's Ambassador is fully alive to the importance of this question; and I am convinced that everything possible is being done to induce the Portuguese Government to modify their present attitude.

Sir A. POWNALL

Would the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the possibility of denouncing our treaty of 1914 if things do not change?

Mr. HENDERSON

I am afraid I cannot commit myself to such a course as that.

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