§ 29. Dame Irene Wardasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the correspondence from Her Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo to his Department on the conduct of Maclean during the time he was a member of the Embassy staff.
§ Lord John HopeNo, Sir.
§ Dame Irene WardIs my noble Friend aware that the country would like to know whether the Ambassador or the Establishment at the Foreign Office, or the politicians, are to blame for his retention? Is it not very unfair to those who were not to blame to allow them to accept part of the blame for the Maclean episode? Will he therefore reconsider his answer in the light of that, because the country wishes to know?
§ Lord John HopeI think the hon. Lady knows that, as a general rule, correspondence between one servant of the Crown and another in the course of their duties is not liable to publication. I can say that in this case such reports as were made by the Ambassador on the conduct of Maclean at Cairo related solely to the circumstances of his breakdown in May, 1950.