§ 8. Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he proposes to put forward any proposal for the choice of a new chairman to the forthcoming Disarmament Conference in the place of the late Member for Burnley?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon)I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply returned by the Prime Minister to a supplementary question asked by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Isle of Wight (Captain P. Macdonald) on the 2nd December. It does not lie within the province of His Majesty s Government to make such a proposal as is suggested in the question.
§ Sir WILLIAM DAVISONDo we understand then, that the right hon. Gentleman, the former Member for Burnley, has not offered to resign; and is it not the case that he cannot in any sense be considered to represent the general feeling of the present House of Commons?
§ Sir J. SIMONMy hon. Friend will appreciate the fact that the choice of the Chairman is not the choice of the House of Commons. It is the choice of the Council of the League.
§ Sir W. DAVISONBut is not our representative the choice of the British Government; and, if that representative retires, is it not for the League to appoint a new chairman?
§ Mr. COCKSIs it not a fact that this appointment was the unanimous choice of the Council of the League?
§ Captain Sir WILLIAM BRASSWas not the right hon. Gentleman in question selected because he was the member from this country?
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSWas he not chosen because he was regarded as the best person to occupy the position?
§ Sir J. SIMONThe answer to these various supplementary questions is, that the gentleman referred to was chosen unanimously by the Council of the League.