§ 6. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will name the principal European 1620 Governments which have not intimated their acceptance in principle of the scheme for the withdrawal of foreign nationals now serving in Spain, submitted to them a month ago by the Non-Intervention Committee?
§ Mr. EdenI am not in a position to make any statement on the attitude of the various Governments towards the scheme. I understand that only four Governments have so far communicated their observations to the Committee. His Majesty's Government, for their part, have informed the Committee that they are willing to agree in principle to accept the plan with any modifications which the Committee may adopt.
§ Mr. HendersonIs it not a fact that Lord Plymouth publicly stated a few days ago that this scheme had been sent to various Governments a month ago, and that only a few of them had replied; and are we not entitled to know which Governments have replied?
§ 9. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps are being taken to maintain the effectiveness of the naval control of the Spanish coast, in view of the withdrawal of the German and Italian Governments?
§ 7. Miss Wilkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that Germany and Italy have withdrawn from the naval control scheme, it is the intention that the British and French Governments should take over the patrol of the coasts previously allotted to the withdrawing countries?
§ Mr. EdenI would refer the hon. Members to the statement which I made on this subject in the course of last Friday's Debate. His Majesty's Government have continued in the closest consultation with the French Government and other Governments concerned on the question of filling the gap in the naval patrol caused by the withdrawal of Germany and Italy from the work of the patrol. A meeting of the Non-Intervention Committee is to be held to-morrow morning at which it is contemplated that definite proposals with this end in view will be put forward. I hope to be in a position to make a further statement on the matter tomorrow.
§ Mr. ThorneHas the right hon. Gentleman seen a report published in Italy to the effect that it does not matter whether there is intervention or otherwise since General Franco must win?
13. Miss Rathboneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have, or had at the time of its occupation by the insurgent forces, any representatives in Bilbao; and what was the basis of the evidence which has reached him through His Majesty's Minister at Hendaye to the effect that the final occupation of Bilbao took place without bloodshed and that the Basques who gave up their arms were immediately set free, a small number of anarchists being held to be tried by tribunals?
§ Mr. EdenThe answer to the first part of the question is, No, Sir. As regards the second part, I understand that the information was obtained by His Majesty's Ambassador from a journalist who was at Bilbao when General Franco's forces entered the city.
Miss RathboneIs it not well known that General Franco permits no journalists to remain with his forces if they issue reports unfavourable to his Government; and how can the information be reliable and unbiased seeing that there is no source of such information?
§ Mr. Eden"Unreliability" and "bias" are strong terms, but this information does seem to be generally confirmed. Only last week we were informed that the journalists now in Spain were reliable.
§ Mr. JaggerDoes the right hon. Gentleman think it advisable that His Majesty's Government should be dependent upon the reports of journalists?
§ Captain HeilgersWas not the British Consulate sacked before the arrival of General Franco, and His Majesty's representative therefore was not able to return?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIn view of the large number of courts-martial now at work in Bilbao, could not the Government take some measures to see that the principles of humanity are observed?
15. Mr. Vyvyan Adamsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any progress has been made in arranging for the withdrawal of non-Spanish combatants from the theatre of the Spanish civil war?
§ Mr. EdenThis question is on the agenda for the Non-Intervention Committee's meeting to-morrow morning.
§ 16. Mr. Bellengerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has come to any decision on the reply of the Spanish insurgent authorities to the British protest concerning the mining of His Majesty's Ship "Hunter"?
§ Mr. EdenI have already stated the present position in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Cocks) on Wednesday last. I cannot at the moment add anything to that answer.
§ Mr. BellengerIn view of the considerable time which has elapsed since the protest which His Majesty's Government sent to General Franco, may we not ask the right hon. Gentleman to expedite some sort of settlement of this matter?
§ Mr. EdenWe have had an answer, but the matter is now under consideration as to what our next step will be. I cannot say more.
§ 17. Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, failing specific guarantees from the countries represented on the Non-Intervention Committee which have since its inception frequently intervened in the Spanish conflict and are doing so at the present moment on an unprecedented scale, he proposes to withdraw from the work of the committee, while stating that the territorial and political independence of Spain are matters of vital concern to this country?
§ Mr. EdenI have nothing to add to the statement on the subject of the policy of non-intervention which I made in the course of last Friday's Debate.
§ Lieut.-Commander FletcherDoes the right hon. Gentleman intend to persist, in face of the declaration by the head of the Italian Government that he intends to pursue his intervention on behalf of General Franco to a victorious conclusion?
§ 18. Mr. Bennasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any statement to make as to the future working of the Spanish Non-Intervention Agreement?
§ Mr. EdenI would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statement which I made in the course of last Friday's Debate.
§ 19. Mr. Bennasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any plan is before the Non-Intervention Committee for preventing the passage of foreign military aircraft to Spain?
§ Mr. EdenAs the right hon. Gentleman is aware, this question has been under constant examination. He will also be aware of the extreme complexity of the problem. I regret to state that, up to now, no solution has been found, but His Majesty's Government are fully alive to the importance of this subject and the right hon. Gentleman may rest assured that they will do everything in their power to secure a solution.
§ Mr. BennIn view of the decisive ressults which have been obtained by the intervention of foreign military aircraft recently, are the Government of opinion that non-intervention exists at all as long as foreign military aircraft are permitted to come to Spain?
§ Mr. EdenI would remind the right hon. Gentleman that it has been frequently stated how unsatisfactory this aircraft procedure was.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerHas the right hon. Gentleman seen the statement of Herr Hitler that he intends to proceed in order to get the iron ore from Spain?
§ 12. Mr. G. Straussasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any further information concerning the alleged recent landing of Italian troops at: Malaga and elsewhere?
§ Mr. EdenI would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to a similar question put by the hon. Member for Derby (Mr. Noel-Baker) on 24th June, to which I have nothing to add.
§ Mr. StraussHas the right hon. Gentleman any information regarding the Spanish Government's statement that over 8,000 Italian troops sailed on 24th June from Civita Vecchia to Spain?