§ 23. Sir H. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the date of the last communication addressed to, and received from, the Albanian Government in 202 respect of the award in connection with the mining of the British destroyers in the Corfu Channel in 1946.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonIn a note dated 25th January, 1951, the British agent in the Corfu case informed the agent in Paris of the Albanian Government that the Albanian offer of £40,000 in respect of the British claim arising out of the Corfu Channel incident was unworthy of consideration. The Albanian Government have not replied.
§ Sir H. WilliamsIs the right hon. Gentleman going to do anything about it? Is it not an absolute scandal that four and a half years ago many British sailors were killed and that up to now we have had no recognition of any kind whatsoever of the loss?
§ Mr. MorrisonWe submitted to the House a White Paper on this matter. If the hon. Gentleman has any concrete suggestions, perhaps he will put them down.
§ Sir H. WilliamsWould the right hon. Gentleman consider throwing a bit of concrete at the Albanian Government?
§ Mr. PickthornCan the right hon. Gentleman say when he will be able to give the House some real information on this matter, and whether he does not think it extremely unworthy to try to reply with a "What would you do chum?" technique to a question of this nature?
§ Mr. MorrisonIt is an old and perfectly legitimate technique which previous Governments have followed. [An HON. MEMBER: "Not by a Foreign Secretary."] Yes it has. I will find a quotation for hon. Members opposite ready for next time. Inevitably that is so, and I do not think the answer was unreasonable.
§ Mr. PickthornCan I have an answer to the first part of my Question? [HON. MEMBERS: "NO."] Members opposite do not' care how many sailors were drowned.