§ Mr. Donnelly(By Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the present situation in Korea and the United States Government's new decision to withdraw her fleet from Formosa, he will make immediate representations to the American Government to reconsider this action, which can only lead to both the prejudicing of the British position in Hong Hong and the spreading of the war in the Far East?
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will make a statement about Formosa tomorrow.
§ Mr. DonnellyIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that already on the tape, in embargo form, is the President's message, saying that this action has been taken? Can he say whether this action has been taken in full consultation with the British Government, and what steps he is taking to see that the war in the Far East does not spread?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that it would be much better to await the statement to be made tomorrow in its fullness and entirety by the Foreign Secretary, after the full text of any statement made by the President of the United States in his message to Congress has been made fully public in the regular manner through the newspapers.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI appreciate that any statement on the actual statement of the President of the United States cannot very well be made before that statement is delivered and properly published. But it is fair, I think, to ask the Prime Minister—and this has some relationship to what happened earlier—whether this was a matter discussed between him and the President-designate at that time, on the occasion of his visit to the United States; and, secondly, whether representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the United States on the possibility of this, and, if so, what'? Will the right hon. Gentleman inform us upon these points, which are past points, and which involve the action of Her Majesty's Government? I think the Prime Minister might well inform the House, and ought to inform the House, whether this did form a subject of discussion between him 1486 and President Eisenhower, as he now is, on his visit, and what has been the nature of the representations, if any, that Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of the United States on this matter. They will either have happened already, or, if not, the right hon. Gentleman can tell us that nothing has been done.
§ The Prime MinisterI have already answered the first part of the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question. I am not going to make any statement of any kind on the conversations which I had in the United States. With regard to the second part, the Foreign Secretary will make a full statement to the House tomorrow, and I am sure our interests would be better served and our procedure would be more normal if we were to wait for that.
§ Mr. MorrisonI should like to put the point again. Does not the Prime Minister realise that there is widespread public anxiety about this matter and that it is not confined to one party? Is he not aware that both the late Government and the present Government have declared themselves against the spreading of warlike operations in the Far East? Surely it is legitimate to ask him whether the Government have made any representations and, if so, what they are. After all, in response to an earlier Question about this specific matter, the right hon. Gentleman said that he would be dealing with it at the end of Questions. Now his answer is that he is not dealing with the matter. It is legitimate for the House to feel that it should know whether or not this matter formed the subject of conversation between the right hon. Gentleman and Mr. Eisenhower during his visit to the United States.
§ The Prime MinisterWith regard to the question of any conversations which I may or may not have had in the United States, I have nothing to add to the answer which I have already given. With regard to the question of any action which has or has not been taken by Her Majesty's Government, surely the Foreign Secretary has a right to bring that into the integral scope of his statement tomorrow.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. We must wait until tomorrow.
§ Mr. H. HyndOn a point of order. The Prime Minister has said, Sir, that the Foreign Secretary will make a statement tomorrow. May we have your guidance as to whether that will prejudice the possibility of an hon. Member moving the Adjournment of the House on the grounds that there has been a 24-hour delay?
§ Mr. SpeakerIf anything arises out of the Foreign Secretary's statement tomorrow, that will be a new event.
§ Mr. DonnellyI respectfully submit, Mr. Speaker, that tomorrow may be too late. Whatever consultations have taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the United States have already happened, and I understand that the President of the United States is himself issuing a statement at 5 o'clock British time. Thus, whatever may happen tomorrow, it may well be too late. In those circumstances I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House now under Standing Order No. 9, to call attention—
§ Mr. SpeakerThere is another statement to come first. We will deal with that matter later.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonFurther to the point of order. The position of the Prime Minister today—it is one with which I do not wholly agree—is that he declines to make any statement because the Foreign Secretary will make one tomorrow. If any question of the Adjournment should arise—it is for Mr. Speaker to decide—I should have thought that it would be better if it were to arise when we knew the full statement. [Interruption.] With great respect, I should have thought so. My mind is partly influenced by your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, as to whether on this matter a Motion for the Adjournment—I am not saying what you would decide about it—would be equally eligible tomorrow.
§ Mr. SpeakerA Motion of that character would not in the least be prejudiced. It would be in order tomorrow if it were in order on other grounds. I think it is unwise to proceed with the matter when we have not yet actually had the President's statement. I understand that it has not yet been made. Surely the House should decide this matter in the light of what is actually said.
§ Mr. Hector HughesOn a point of order. I do not think I am doing the Prime Minister any injustice when I say that in reply to my Question No. 51 he distinctly said that he was making a statement upon this subject later today. He has not made a statement on that subject. Surely he should do so, Sir.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe right hon. Gentlement said that there was a Question about it later.
§ Mr. DonnellyI respectfully submit, Mr. Speaker, that the position has not been covered at all and that what may well take place tomorrow is another matter. However, what I am concerned with is what has taken place already and what may happen in any number of hours from now. In those circumstances, I again ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9, to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance.
§ Mr. SpeakerI will give the hon. Member an opportunity of doing that, but there is a statement to come first. The hon. Member must move his Motion for the Adjournment of the House in the proper place in our proceedings.
Later—
§ Mr. DonnellyI beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9, to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely,
That, in view of the United States Government decision to withdraw their fleet from Formosa, there is an urgent need for Her Majesty's Government to take steps to prevent the spreading of the Korean war and to mitigate the danger in which British Forces are now placed, by having immediate consultations with the Government of the United States, India and other member States of the United Nations.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9, to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely,
That, in view of the United States Government decision to withdraw their fleet from Formosa, there is an urgent need for Her Majesty's Government to take steps to prevent the spreading of the Korean war and to mitigate the danger in which British Forces are now placed, by having immediate consultations with the Government of the United States, India and other member States of the United Nations.1489 I regret that this is not in order. In the first place, I understand the statement is to be made tonight and has not yet been delivered to the American Congress. In the second place, on the face of it, this withdrawal of an American fleet from Formosan waters, if that indeed be decided, is a matter not for Her Majesty's Ministers but a matter for which a foreign Government is responsible.
§ Mr. DonnellyIn regard to the second point you have made, Mr. Speaker, I respectfully submit that whatever action the United States Government may take involves British Forces which were sent to Korea by this House. In view of what you have said, may I ask whether it is entirely without prejudice to any moving of a Motion for the Adjournment of the House tomorrow?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member will understand that I have not seen an official copy of the President's message. I have not heard the circumstances of this case. If new facts arise tomorrow the position will not be prejudiced by what has happened today.
§ Mr. PagetWith regard to your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, may we have your 1490 guidance on a particular point? The incident which causes the urgency is the act of a foreign Government but, nevertheless, Her Majesty's Government have a responsibility for acts which they may take in response to the urgency caused by the other Government. We have not seen President Eisenhower's statement, but if that statement causes danger to us, is it not for us to discuss what steps we have to take to meet that danger?
§ Mr. SpeakerI am very loath to give a hypothetical Ruling in advance of the actual facts. We had better wait till tomorrow.