§ 5. Mr. Noel-Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make a statement concerning the proposals for the evacuation of foreign troops from Spain which are under consideration by the Non-Intervention Committee?
14. Mr. Vyvyan Adamsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any progress has been made to secure the withdrawal of foreign volunteers from participation in the Spanish civil war?
§ Mr. EdenA plan for the withdrawal of foreign combatants in Spain which has been worked out by the Technical Sub-Committee set up for that purpose was submitted to the various Governments by the Non-Intervention Committee on 26th May for their consideration. This report is receiving the very careful consideration of His Majesty's Government whose comments on it will be sent to the Committee at the earliest possible moment.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerWill the right hon. Gentleman consider proposing publication of the report in order that the public might be informed?
§ Mr. EdenYes, I will gladly consider that, but I am not sure at the moment whether it would be wise or not.
§ 6. Mr. Davidsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the total number of prisoners exchanged between the Spanish Government and the insurgents up to date?
§ Mr. DavidsonHas the right hon. Gentleman's Department seen the reports made by ex-British prisoners with the insurgent forces in regard to their treatment, and can he make any representations to General Franco at least to treat prisoners with common decency?
§ Mr. EdenThat is a different question from that on the Paper. It is certainly our desire that prisoners shall be fairly treated on both sides.
§ Mr. GallacherIs the right lion. Gentleman aware that several British prisoners have already been shot, and that there is a possibility of others being shot?
8. Sir Nairne Stewart Sandemanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government will take steps through the Non-Intervention Committee to prevent Basque aeroplanes using Pau for refuelling purposes?
§ Mr. EdenAs my hon. Friend will have observed from the communique issued at the close of the sub-committee's meeting of 24th May, the French Government have communicated to the Non-Intervention Committee a full explanation of the circumstances in which, on 8th May and r7th May, Spanish aircraft landed at Pau and were returned to their point of origin on the Spanish frontier. In this statement the French Government pointed out that they had informed the Spanish Government that the French authorities would in futture find it impossible to grant the same treatment to aeroplanes which might put themselves in a similar position, and would feel compelled in that event to retain such aeroplanes.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerCould the Foreign Secretary secure a similar guarantee from the Italian Government concerning the passage of German aircraft to Spain from Genoa?
Miss RathboneIs it not a fact that in warfare between recognised belligerents international law permits ships under stress of weather, when it is necessary to save the lives of passengers, calling at ports in neutral territory, and is not there an analogy between that and the calling of aeroplanes in France when the weather compels them to do so?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerWill the right hon. Gentleman question the Italian Government in view of the clear evidence that German machines are using that route?
§ Mr. EdenWhatever the significance of that question, it is a different one from that on the Paper.
§ 9. Sir Robert Rankinasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the present approximate number of British subjects in Las Palmas; and whether he has any information as to their present circumstances as regards food supplies and communications with this country?
§ Mr. EdenAt the outbreak of the Spanish struggle the total number of British and British protected persons in the Canary Islands was 425. I have no detailed figure of the number of those actually at Las Palmas at present. I understand that there is no serious 990 shortage of essential foodstuffs in the Canary Islands and that ships call there regularly.
§ 11. Mr. Shinwellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it has now been established that German airmen were responsible for the bombing of Guernica; whether the matter has received the consideration of the Non-Intervention Committee; and with what result?
§ 19. Captain Ramsayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to give the House the correct facts regarding the destruction of Guernica?
§ Mr. EdenI would refer the hon. Members to the reply given by my Noble Friend to the hon. Member for Derby (Mr. Noel-Baker) on 26th May. The question of a possible inquiry into this and similar incidents is still under discussion with the various Governments.
§ Mr. ShinwellCan we have an assurance that this will take place shortly, as the facts in relation to the matter ought to be established very quickly?
§ Mr. EdenI certainly can give no such assurance. What we have done is to approach other Governments and say we are willing to take part. It is for them to say whether they are willing to do so.
§ Brigadier-General Sir Henry CroftCan we have an assurance that, if there is an inquiry, it will be into the case of Irun and the other cases?
§ Major ColfoxIs it not a fact that the answer to the first part of Question II is in the negative?
§ 12. Mr. Shinwellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any intimation from the German Government that they intend to retire from the control scheme for patrolling of the Spanish coast; and whether their region of control is to be undertaken by another Government?
§ Mr. EdenI am at present unable to add anything to the reply which I gave yesterday to a question on this subject asked by the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition.
15. Miss Rathboneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the evidence laid by the Spanish Government before the League of Nations of the presence in Spain of large numbers of Italian troops, and also of the evidence available from other sources of the systematic bombing of Basque towns by German aircraft, His Majesty's Government will endeavour to secure the appointment of an international commission to make inquiries in Spain into these and other breaches of non-intervention, and to act as a check upon such breaches in future?
§ Mr. EdenThe hon. Member will recall that the Non-Intervention Committee originally put forward a proposal for a system of supervision which provided for the establishment of international officials on Spanish territory. This scheme met with objections from both parties in the Spanish struggle and had, therefore, to be abandoned in favour of the present scheme, which was very carefully drawn up and which it would be on all grounds most undesirable to abandon. I have no reason to suppose that the attitude of either party has so far been modified as to make it, apart from other considerations, practicable to contemplate a proposal such as that put forward by the hon. Member.
Miss RathboneIn view of the proved ineffectiveness of the Non-Intervention Committee and also the repeated answers of His Majesty's Government that they have no information of alleged cases of intervention, should not this make them consider the case for reviving the proposal and pressing for its adoption?
§ Mr. EdenI do not agree with the hon. Lady, and, if I may say so with respect, she is out of date. I have heard nobody suggest that since the scheme of supervision has been in force there have been any large gaps in it, and we attach great importance to maintaining it.
§ Sir Archibald SinclairIs it not quite clear that, when the Secretary of State says that there have been no gaps, aeroplanes have in fact been proved, by evidence given in recent trials at Bilbao, to have gone to Spain from Germany via Italy since the agreement was entered upon?
§ Mr. EdenI have never denied the difficulty about aeroplanes, but I maintain that naval and land supervision has been effective, and that is why we attach considerable importance to maintaining it.
Colonel WedģwoodIs it the fact that the Portuguese Government are raising objections to continuing this scheme?
16. Miss Rathboneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the staff of the British Embassy at Valencia includes any naval expert; and, if not, whether, in view of the importance of obtaining reliable information from an impartial source as to the working of the system of coastal observation by German and Italian warships, he will consider appointing such an expert?
17. Miss Rathboneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Non-Intervention Committee has reconsidered the possibility of appointing observers in the aerodromes of countries participating in the pact and in the aerodromes of Spain itself.
§ Mr. EdenThe possibility of establishing a scheme for the supervision of aircraft entering Spain by air was very carefully considered by the Non-Intervention Committee towards the end of last year and a report was prepared by a special subcommittee containing a plan for the establishment of agents at the airports of all the foreign countries within a radius of 1,50o miles of the Spanish frontier. It was found after consideration that a scheme of this nature would be impossible to operate. As regards the appointment of observers in the aerodromes of Spain, the hon. Member will, of course, be aware that this would require the permission of the two parties in Spain, which is not forthcoming.
Miss RathboneIn default of controlling the entry of aircraft at sea, is not the scheme of frontier control bound to operate entirely in favour of the rebels, since the interventionist friends of the rebels are sending aeroplanes over from Germany and Italy, whereas the Government cannot get similar aeroplanes from any country near enough by sea?
§ Mr. EdenI say with respect to the hon. Lady that Spanish ships still come into Spain, and there is the operation of these ships to be considered.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerHave not the two parties been asked and have refused to accept the agreement?
§ 18. Mr. Noel-Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proposals, if any, His Majesty's Government have laid before the Non-Intervention Committee for the placing of neutral observers on board the warships engaged in control duty in Spanish waters.
§ Mr. EdenI would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Chippenham (Captain Cazalet) and to the hon. Member for Jarrow (Miss Wilkinson) on i6th and 22nd March respectively, to which I have nothing to add.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerWould the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration in preparing plans such a proposal as this?
§ Mr. EdenYes, sir, I think myself that there is substance in this proposal, if it can be agreed upon.
§ 20. Captain Ramsayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the recent attack made by aeroplances on the German cruiser "Deutschland" was organised by international Communist agencies with the object of embroiling as many countries as possible in a European war; and will he add his protest on behalf of this country to that which the German Government is making against this attack.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsOn a point of Order. May I ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether the very positive attack embodied in this question upon a certain body of people is strictly in accordance with the normal kind of question which is allowed on the Order Paper?
§ Mr. SpeakerIt is not a normal question, but it is generally understood that those who make these attacks make themselves responsible for them.
§ Mr. ShinwellMay I ask whether, if it can be demonstrated that there is no substance in an allegation of this kind, the 994 hon. Member responsible for it can be held responsible, and with what result?
§ Mr. SpeakerDemonstrations of that kind are rather difficult to acquire.
§ Mr. EdenI have seen no evidence in regard to the suggestion made in the first part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question. As regards the second part, I have nothing to add to my previous statements on this subject.
§ Mr. GallacherIs the Minister aware that I am one of the leaders of the International Communist party, and will he accept my word when I repudiate this absurd and malicious statement?
§ 21 and 22. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) whether any report has been received from the senior officer on board the "Royal Oak" as to the presence of mines up to five miles from the Spanish coast in the vicinity of Bilbao;
(2) whether he will state the terms of the communication made by the "Royal Oak" to the s.s. "Kenfig Pool," while on its recent voyage to Bilbao?
§ The First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. Duff Cooper)On the morning of 22nd May the steamship "Kenfig Pool" asked the Rear-Admiral Commanding, Second Battle Squadron, in His Majesty's Ship "Royal Oak," by signal, if it was prudent to attempt to enter Bilbao, and the following advice was given:
As regards entry into Bilbao present information does not enable His Majesty's Government to advise entry into that port. If you decide to enter following advice is tendered. Keep outside 10 miles from coast until necessary to approach to enter port. You will be given protection outside three mile limit but not in territorial waters. You will be fired on by ships of Nationalists inside three mile limit if you do not stop on request. If you submit, stop and turn go degrees and reverse engines to indicate your action. Latest information states that ships may encounter mines up to five miles from coast in the neighbourhood of Bilbao, Santander, Gijon and Avilles.—Admiral.The Rear-Admiral's advice was based on two warnings issued by the insurgent naval authorities, firstly, that any ship within three miles of the territory occupied by the Basque Government would 995 be liable to be fired upon, and, secondly, that owing to intensified mining operations no vessel would be safe within four miles off the places on the North coast of Spain mentioned in the message to the "Kenfig Pool." With regard to this latter warning, His Majesty's Government have protested against the possibility of mines being laid on the high seas, and as yet there is no definite evidence that mines have been laid outside territorial waters. Nevertheless, the House will appreciate that the possibility cannot altogether be excluded, and that in any event it is advisable to allow a margin, as was done in the advice given to the "Kenfig Pool," for error and other contingencies.
§ Mr. HendersonIn view of the fact that the former First Lord of the Admiralty stated in this House on 21st April that the British Government do riot recognise the right of the Spanish insurgents to fire upon British ships within the three-mile limit but only to seize them, has any request or representation been made to the Spanish insurgents as to what the British Government will do in the event of British ships being fired upon within the three-mile limit?
§ Mr. CooperI understand that His Majesty's Government stated some time ago that the Spanish insurgents would be held responsible for any damage done to British vessels, but, as far as I am aware, no steps have been taken recently in this matter.
§ Mr. HendersonIs it not the fact that, according to the statement just read out, the Senior Officer in charge advised the captain of the British ship that they were liable to be fired upon by the Spanish insurgents within the three-mile limit; and is it not the view of His Majesty's Government that steps should be taken to prevent any such action on the part of Spanish insurgent ships?
§ Mr. CooperCertainly, the position of His Majesty's Government is perfectly plain, but the Officer in Command, the Rear-Admiral is acting upon the warning which he has been given by insurgent authorities. It is not for him to say whether their action would be legal or not.
§ Mr. HendersonMay the House take it that, in the event of Spanish insurgent 996 ships firing upon British ships within the three-mile limit, the whole available force of British naval ships will be used to protect those ships?
§ Mr. Herbert MorrisonCan the right hon. Gentleman say why it should be considered proper that an officer of the British Navy should refer to rebels as Nationalists, whereas clearly they are merely rebels against constituted authority?
§ Mr. SandysIn his statement did the right hon. Gentleman say that His Majesty's Government had protested to the insurgents against the laving of mines outside the three-mile limit? Are we to infer that His Majesty's Government are not protesting against the laying of mines within the three-mile limit which is just as much a breach of international law?
§ Mr. CooperAs far as I am aware His Majesty's Government have only protested against the laying of mines on the high seas.
§ Mr. SandysDoes not that imply that we acquiese in the laying of mines within the three-mile limit?
§ Mr. R. AclandIs there any shred of information other than from the insurgents of the laying of mines within the neighbourhood of Bilbao in the last week?
§ 26. Mr. Noel-Bakerasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has received reports from His Majesty's officers commanding in British warships in Spanish waters which enable him to say on how many occasions German and Italian warships have entered ports under the control of General Franco since the entry into force of the system of control?
§ Mr. CooperAccording to information in my possession German warships have entered Spanish ports under the control of the insurgents eight times and Italian warships 29 times since the coming into force of the system of control on 19th April.