HC Deb 26 February 1940 vol 357 cc1715-6
1. Lieut.-Colonel Heneage

asked the Prime Minister whether in view of the peculiarly indented nature of her coast, the territorial waters of Norway follow the coast line; and what is the extent of the territorial limit?

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Butler)

The question of the principles on which, in view of the special configuration of the Norwegian coast, the limit of territorial waters should be drawn has been the subject of much discussion and cannot be said to have been finally decided. The Norwegian Government, though not departing from their claim to a four-mile limit to their territorial waters, have informed His Majesty's Government that, for the purposes of the present war, they will not maintain the rules of neutrality and the neutrality provisions outside a distance of three miles from the coast.

Lieut.-Colonel Heneage

Do they still insist on a point-to-point line drawn between the headlands of the various fjords?

Mr. Butler

It depends upon the width between the headlands of the fjords, but the smaller fjords are covered by the definition which my hon. and gallant Friend seeks to draw.

Mr. Robert Gibson

When the right hon. Gentleman says three miles from the coast, does he mean three miles from the coast of islands that are off the shore?

Mr. Butler

The fact is that the territorial waters of Norway are often extended for a considerable distance from the shore owing to the existence of islands.

Mr. Thorne

Have the Government come to any conclusion with regard to the quarrel which they have with Norway?