§ 15. Mr. LUNNasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any portion of the expenses of Sir Maurice Hankey's voyage to South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand has been or is being defrayed out of public moneys?
§ Mr. COOPERNo payment has been made, or is expected to be made, out of United Kingdom funds to Sir Maurice Hankey in respect of the expenses of his visit to South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
§ Mr. COOPERNo, it does not mean that.
§ Mr. MORGAN JONESWill the hon. Gentleman say whether this visit is of an official character or purely unofficial?
§ Mr. COOPERI should require notice of that question.
§ 41. Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Prime Minister whether he can give any information to the House concerning the discussion of matters of Imperial defence which took place between Generals Hertzog and Smuts and Sir Maurice Hankey on the occasion of the latter's recent visit to South Africa?
§ 42. Mr. COCKSasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the Prime Minister of New Zealand has announced that his Government has invited Sir Maurice Hankey to visit New Zealand to discuss defence methods; and whether he has any further statement to make regarding Sir Maurice Hankey's Dominion tour?
§ 43. Mr. DAVID GRENFELLasked the Prime Minister whether he can make a statement concerning the forthcoming conference in Wellington to consider the subject of Australian defence and say in what capacity Sir Maurice Hankey is to attend this conference?
§ The PRIME. MINISTER (Mr. Ramsay MacDonald)The general nature of Sir Maurice Hankey's Dominion visits has already been explained by me to the House. So far as I know, it has never been suggested that, when in the course of his journey he meets Dominion Ministers and officials, he is to regard himself as debarred from discussing matters with which, by reason of his official position, he is intimately acquainted. We should ourselves hope to be able to take similar 238 advantage of a visit to this country from any person holding a prominent official position in a Dominion. Hon. Members would not, I think, expect me to make any statement, even if I were in a position to do so, regarding specific. questions relating to the actual local defence position, and therefore the responsibility of Dominion Governments, which may have been or may be raised with Sir Maurice Hankey, during the course of his visits, or as to the extent to which Dominion Governments have been able to inform themselves on defence questions generally in a manner supplementary to the normal channels of communication.
§ Mr. COCKSDoes the Prime Minister adhere to his statement that this mission has no political significance?
§ The PRIME MINISTERPrecisely, the visit has no political significance. Sir Maurice Hankey is going through the Dominions, and he certainly is not going to be debarred from discussing any matter with which he is officially concerned with those in the Dominions specially interested.
§ Mr. COCKSOtherwise, the position of Sir Maurice Hankey is purely social, like that of the Prime Minister?
§ Captain PETER MACDONALDIs it not important that the Secretary of the Committee of Imperial Defence should keep in contact at all times with the Dominions on matters which may be under discussion?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs a matter of fact, they do keep in touch, and any conversations Sir Maurice Hankey has carried on are just exactly of the nature of the official communications which go to the Dominions through the usual channels.
§ Mr. NEIL MACLEANWill the right hon. Gentleman call for a report from Sir Maurice Hankey when he returns?
§ Mr. MORGAN JONESIf Sir Maurice Hankey is, as the right hon. Gentleman said, on a mission to those parts of the world, how comes it that we were informed this afternoon that his expenses are not borne by the Government?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt is difficult to use words that are plainer. Sir Maurice Hankey is not on a. mission, any 239 more than I myself was on a mission to Newfoundland the other day. When I was in Newfoundland I was consulted on matters in the course of conversation, and I consulted about matters in conversation. It is perfectly absurd to imagine that anyone is going through the Dominions without having conversation with people there.