§ 5. Mr. Thorneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House any information about the protocol of the London Naval Treaty of 1930, and the number of naval Powers that have now accepted the protocol; and what ships are protected in time of war?
§ Viscount CranborneI would refer the hon. Member to Command Paper 5302 which contains the text of the Proces-Verbal signed in London on 6th November, 1936, containing the rules protecting merchant vessels against submarines in time of war. Up to the present the Governments of Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Panama, Sweden and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have adhered.
§ 15. Mr. Dayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether replies have been received from the Powers who were parties to the London Naval Treaty, 1930, and the London Naval Treaty, 1036, as to their intentions to ratify the latter treaty; and whether he can give the results of any naval conversations that have taken place between the signatory Powers of this treaty and His 774 Majesty's Government for the purpose of concluding bilateral agreements on the basis of the London Naval Treaty, 1936?
§ Viscount CranborneAs regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to a question and supplementary question asked by the hon. Member for Aberdare (Mr. G. Hall) on 10th February. I understand that the French Government and His Majesty's Governments in Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand and India are similarly ready to ratify the London Naval Treaty, 1936, at the appropriate moment. The United States Government have already ratified that instrument. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Aberdare on 24th February, to which I have nothing at present to add.
§ Viscount CranbornePerhaps the hon. Gentleman had better look at the replies to which I have referred.