HC Deb 23 May 1938 vol 336 cc827-31
10. Mr. Banfield

asked the Prime Minister whether he can make any statement on the results of His Majesty's Government's initiative with regard to an, exchange of prisoners between the two sides in the civil war in Spain?

Mr. Butler

I have nothing to add to the statement which I made on this subject on 16th May in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rutherglen (Mr. Chapman).

18. Mr. G. Strauss

asked the Prime Minister whether any undertaking has been given by Signor Mussolini during the negotiations leading up to the AngloItalian pact or afterwards that no more Italian troops or war materials would be sent to the insurgent authorities in Spain?

Mr. Butler

As the Prime Minister stated on 24th March, the Italian Government were informed that, if these negotiations were to succeed, it was essential that in the meantime the situation in Spain should not be materially altered by the sending of fresh reinforcements from Italy. On this point I have nothing to add to the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the course of the Debate which took place on 19th May.

Mr. Strauss

In view of the fact that a large quantity of war material and men have gone from Italy to Spain since that date in March, are the Italian Government free under present conditions to send more men and war material?

Mr. Butler

As far as I am aware, there has been no material alteration in Spain due to Italian reinforcements since the talks started.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Has not the hon. Member seen the repeated reports in the "Times" that men and munitions are going from Italy into Spain?

19. Mr. G. Strauss

asked the Prime Minister whether the ratification of the Anglo-Italian Agreement is conditional on no more Italian troops or war material being sent to the insurgent authorities in Spain?

Mr. Butler

I would refer the hon. Member to the speech which the Prime Minister made in the House on 2nd May, in the course of which he stated that full effect could not be given to this agreement until we could regard the Spanish question as settled. I have nothing to add to that statement.

20. Mr. Strauss

asked the Prime Minister whether a reply has been received from the Spanish insurgent authorities to the protest against the recent deliberate air attacks on British shipping?

60. Mr. Noel-Baker

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what action His Majesty's Government propose to take to prevent the repetition of the violations of accepted international law involved in the aerial bombardment of Barcelona, Valencia, and other ports situated at a distance from the battle front, in which there were British ships engaged on lawful errands?

Mr. Butler

His Majesty's Government have not yet received a reply to the protest which the British Agent at Burgos was recently instructed to make to the Burgos authorities regarding 'deliberate attacks on British shipping. Sir Robert Hodgson has, however, been instructed to take the matter up further with the Burgos authorities, pointing out that in addition to the attacks which His Majesty's Government had definite evidence to show were deliberately aimed against British ships, there have been a number of recent raids in which British ships have been seriously damaged and life has been lost, and also cases where bombs have been dropped in the close vicinity of British ships lying in harbour. After considering these incidents collectively, His Majesty's Government have been forced to conclude that either deliberate attacks on British ships are being made, or else the bombs are being dropped haphazard in such a manner as to cause indiscriminate damage to ships in the port. They, therefore, consider that they have ample ground for insisting that these incidents shall cease and that at the least proper care shall be exercised by the bombing aircraft not only in selecting objectives, but also in dropping their bombs on those objectives in such a manner as not to cause indiscriminate damage to British lives and property. In the meantime, His Majesty's Government are considering in conjunction with British shipowners whether any other steps can be taken to avoid damage to British shipping in Spanish Government ports.

Mr. Strauss

Is the Minister aware that only yesterday a British ship, the "Penthames," going into Valencia was bombed, quite obviously deliberately, and as it is quite clear that the insurgent authorities take no notice of British protests, what further action do the Government contemplate to protect the lives of British seamen?

Mr. Butler

I took that case into consideration in the answer which I have given, and as regards the latter part of the Supplementary Question, we are representing this matter in the most energetic fashion to the Burgos authorities.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Would the hon. Gentleman consider arming these ships with anti-aircraft guns?

Miss Wilkinson

Will the hon. Gentleman consider asking the Salamanca authorities whether they will add prayers for British shipping to their prayers for the British Cabinet?

23. Major Macnamara

asked the Prime Minister whether any reports have been received by the Non-Intervention Committee that German war material has recently arrived in governmental Spain; and can he give any information as to the sources of recent supplies of war material to both sides?

Mr. Butler

I understand that the Non-Intervention Committee have not received any such reports. As regards the second part of the question, my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that, as I have previously stated, it is not possible to obtain reliable information of this kind while the scheme for the observation of the Spanish frontiers is not in full operation.

Mr. Thorne

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware that the Germans do not mind where they sell the material as long as they get the money?

24. Mr. Wedgwood Benn

asked the Prime Minister whether any recent representations have been made to the French Government on the subject of the passage of arms to Spain?

Mr. Butler

In our discussions with the French Government we have consistently emphasised our desire to make progress with the British Plan now before the Non-Intervention Committee, which provides among other things for the reimposition of control on the Spanish frontiers.

25. Miss Wilkinson

asked the Prime Minister whether he has received from the Italian Government any indication as to the number of their troops in Spain?

Mr. Butler

I have received no such indication from the Italian Government, but I have seen a recent article in an Italian newspaper which stated that the number of Italian volunteers fighting on the side of General Franco at the beginning Of the Aragon offensive on 9th March was about 39,000, and that these forces had been considerably reduced since, owing to heavy losses.

Miss Wilkinson

Would it not be helpful in the forthcoming negotiations if His Majesty's Government had some indication of what is the ratio—how many Italian troops to one Republican soldier does General Franco consider necessary for a victory?

Mr. Thurtle

Does the hon. Gentleman regard a statement of that kind in an Italian newspaper as necessarily authentic and reliable?

Mr. Butler

I can only give my source without making any comments on it.

Miss Rathbone

Is it not the case that there were many Italian troops other than those fighting in the Tortosa valley, and that the Italian estimate affected only those fighting in Tortosa, and not the many who are elsewhere?

26. Miss Wilkinson

asked the Prime Minister why, in view of the statement at Geneva of Senor del Vayo that there were only 6,000 foreign volunteers on the side of the Spanish Government and the Italian official estimate of 39,000 Italian troops at Tortosa, the British representative at Geneva refused the request of Senor del Vayo for an inquiry to establish figures?

Mr. Butler

The resolution of Senor del Vayo against which the British representative at Geneva voted contained no mention of any inquiry into the numbers of foreign combatants in Spain. In the view of His Majesty's Government this is a question for the Non-Intervention Committee which, as the hon. Lady is aware, proposes to send Commissioners to both sides in Spain for the purpose of estimating the numbers of foreign combatants.

Miss Wilkinson

On a point of Order? May I point out that in my question I did not make any statement about the resolution? I asked about the refusal of the request. That request was made verbally in the course of Senor del Vayo's speech.

Mr. Butler

I am aware of that, but the British representative, in voting against the resolution, was not voting against an inquiry.