HC Deb 10 November 1952 vol 507 cc582-4
35. Mr. Ernest Davies

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what instructions have been given to the United Kingdom delegation to the forthcoming meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in regard to the admission of Spain to that organisation.

Mr. Nutting

As I said in reply to the hon. Mémber for Maldon (Mr. Driberg) on 11th June last, Her Majesty's Government see no good reason to oppose the admission of Spain to U.N.E.S.C.O. The United Kingdom Delegation will, therefore, vote in favour of this proposition.

Mr. Davies

How can our delegation be instructed to vote for Spain's entry into U.N.E.S.C.O. when that country is forbidding the entry into Spain of publications of U.N.E.S.C.O., including the Charter of Human Rights?

Mr. Nutting

As I have already suggested to the hon. Member, surely the best way to get publications of this nature circulated without censorship in Spain is to bring Spain into U.N.E.S.C.O.

Mr. McNeil

As the hon. Gentleman will have thought further than his previous reply, may we take it that that is his attitude towards China, also?

Mr. Nutting

As I have also told the right hon. Gentleman, the question of China is in a completely different category. China is represented in the United Nations.

Mr. McNeil

If, as I understand, the hon. Gentleman is arguing that he wants to further the circulation of United Nations publications in relation to Spain, does he not agree that that same argument can be applied to China—the mainland of China, which is not represented?

Mr. Nutting

As I have told the right hon. Gentleman on more than one occasion, the argument about China is about which Government should be represented and not about the country.

Mr. Davies

Will the hon. Gentleman obtain from Spain an undertaking that if they enter U.N.E.S.C.O. they will cease to ban U.N.E.S.C.O. publications inside Spain?

Mr. Nutting

I can obtain no such undertaking, but I very much hope that that will be the result.