§ 41. Mr. MANDERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the present position with regard to negotiations for a Four-Power Pact as instituted at Rome?
§ 44. Mr. MORGAN JONESasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any progress has been made with the proposal for a Four-Power Pact which was initiated in conversations in Paris and Rome; and whether he can make any statement on the matter?
§ Sir J. SIMONConversations are still proceeding, but I do not think that I can, for the moment, usefully add anything to the statement which I made in the House on the 13th of April.
§ Sir AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINMay I ask my right hon. Friend when he expects to lay the White Paper that he promised?
§ Sir J. SIMONI am, of course, keeping that promise very carefully in mind, but I think that on the whole it would be better if we had the papers in rather more complete order than they are at present. I have said that conversations are still proceeding, and we have no idea of reaching a definite conclusion without first placing a White Paper before the House.
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the Prime Minister—I do not know whether to say warned or reproached us for making speeches based upon assumptions, but until the Government supply information we have nothing hut assumptions on which to found an opinion?
§ Sir J. SIMONI agree with my right hon. Friend, and I am sure that he will believe me when I say that I am not withholding it for any other reason than that at the moment the negotiations are proceeding, and it would be a very truncated document if it were communicated now.
§ Mr. HANNONIn view of the answers which the right hon. Gentleman has given to the last three questions, will he consider the propriety of sending the hon. Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Mander) to some remote place to settle these disputes?