HC Deb 12 December 1938 vol 342 cc1581-2
1. Mr. A. Henderson

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give an assurance to the House that he will not agree during his forthcoming visit to Rome to any modification of the Non-Intervention Agreement of July, 1937, requiring the withdrawal of all Italian and German troops from Spain as a prior condition of granting belligerent rights to General Franco?

The Prime Minister

I am not prepared to give assurances beforehand as to what I will or will not agree to, but this must not be taken to mean that I am prepared to agree to the suggestion in the hon. Member's question.

13. Lieut.-Commander Fletcher

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give an assurance that during the forthcoming Rome conversations he will enter into no agreements with Italy concerning the Suez Canal or the Spanish civil war, or any matters not dealt with by the Anglo-Italian Agreement, without a proviso that they must be debated on and assented to by this House?

The Prime Minister

As I have already informed the House, this visit is primarily intended to afford an opportunity of making personal contact with Signor Mussolini. If any agreement should be entered into during the course of the visit, it would be submitted to this House for discussion and approval.

34. Mr. Thurtle

asked the Prime Minister whether, in his forthcoming conversations with Signor Mussolini, he will have regard to the anxieties which exist in this country regarding the threat to British communications with the Near East, India, and the Far East, which would arise from a solution of the Spanish question resulting in the domination of Spain by a Government of totalitarian sympathies?

The Prime Minister

While I do not accept the premise on which this question is based, the Government will always endeavour to maintain British interests, which, of course, include the safety of their Imperial communications.

Mr. Thurtle

Is the Prime Minister really not aware how deep and widespread these anxieties are in this country?

Mr. Alexander

Does the Prime Minister still seriously say that he does not anticipate such a thing? Is it a fact that Spanish ports are being developed to enable naval attacks to be made on this country?

The Prime Minister

I do not know that.

Mr. Alexander

You ought to know.