HC Deb 22 May 1946 vol 423 cc309-11
13. Mr. Warbey

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Greek Government have agreed to accept the recommendation of the Allied Mission to Observe the Greek Elections that a new census shall be taken as a basis for the proposed revision of the electoral registers.

Mr. Bevin

No, Sir. In the summary of its report, which was released to the Press on 10th April, the Allied Mission for the observation of the Greek elections recommended that all registration lists in Greece should be completely recompiled before the opinion of the Greek people was again sought on a matter of national import. This recommendation was immediately accepted in principle by the Greek Government, who on the 14th April issued to the British, United States and French Governments through their Ambassadors in Athens invitations to appoint observers to supervise the steps taken by the Greek Government to comply with it. This invitation has been accepted by the Governments of the United States and Great Britain. In the circumstances, therefore, the question of taking a new census, which is obviounsly impracticable before 1st September, is not one on which the Greek Government have been called on to decide in this connection.

Mr. Warbey

Would my right hon. Friend look at the full report which has been published now as a White Paper, in which he will see that the election observers point out that the census on which the registers are based was compiled in 1928 and they definitely recommend that the new registers should be based on the new census?

Mr. Sevin

Did the hon. Gentleman say 1938?

Mr. Warbey

Nineteen twenty-eight.

Mr. Bevin

I cannot remember when our last census was taken, but I think it was about the same time.

Mr. Walkden

Might I ask the right hon. Gentleman to observe on this point that, whatever may happen in regard to the compilation of a register, it appears to be generally held by his observers that no normal register can be compiled in Greece unless a new census is adopted or brought into being right away?

Mr. Bevin

I cannot accept that for any of these Balkan countries. In my view, when they are emerging from occu- pation in the way they are, a good deal of improvisation has to, take place. I accept the very difficult circumstances of the country and I believe it is possible to get a very fair register without imposing the necessity of the long drawn out difficulty of a census.

Mr. Warbey

I give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment as soon as possible.