§ 35. Mrs. Cazalet Keirasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of 1758 the many complaints, he will make inquiries into the internal organisation of the Foreign Relations Department of the British Red Cross?
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Richard Law)I have been asked to reply. As the Financial Secretary to the War Office told my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Wycombe (Sir A. Knox) on 24th February, it is not for His Majesty's Government to concern themselves with the internal organisation of an independent honorary body such as the British Red Cross, and they do not accept responsibility for the services provided by the Red Cross and St. John War Organisation, of which the Foreign Relations Department forms part. I would therefore suggest that my hon. Friend should, if she wishes, make representations concerning this matter to the Executive Committee of the War Organisation through its Chairman.
§ Mrs. KeirIf I bring to my hon. Friend's notice private representations on this matter, will he be prepared to reconsider the matter in the light of those representations? I put this Question down to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and it was transferred to the Secretary of State for War without my knowledge. Does this mean that the Foreign Office have decided that they are responsible for this Department?
§ Mr. LawThis Question was transferred to the Foreign Office, because it concerned the Foreign Relations Department of the British Red Cross, and the Foreign Office is responsible for foreign relations. The Government are not responsible for the Red Cross organisation, and I would suggest again to my hon. Friend that if she has representations to make, it would be much better to make them to the Chairman of the War Organisation rather than to me.
§ Mr. LawI would always be glad to receive any representations from my hon. Friend, but I think it would be more profitable in this case if she made them to the right quarter.