14. Miss Wardasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will revert to a previous practice of publishing quarterly in a White Paper the main despatches to his Department from foreign countries, in order that the House may be kept informed of all important matters affecting our foreign relations.
§ Mr. LawI think it is hardly exact to say that it has been the general practice to publish quarterly in a White Paper the main despatches from foreign countries and I can give no undertaking that my right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary will initiate periodical publication of this kind as a matter of routine. In cases where there may be a demand for the publication of correspondence on any particular aspect of the foreign relations of His Majesty's Government, my right hon. Friend will take into account as in the past the desirability of keeping Parliament informed when to do so would not be contrary to the public interest.
Miss WardIs it not a fact that in the past White Papers were issued regularly covering official despatches?
§ Mr. LawNo, Sir; I do not think that was exactly the position. I think the position was that when there were papers of particular interest to the House of Commons they were published from time to time, when the public interest was not damaged by so doing.