§ 29. Mrs. Castleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been made by member States of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and by which States, for the inclusion of Spain in the Organisation.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydNone, Sir.
§ Mrs. CastleIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the proposed visits of President Eisenhower and Dr. Adenauer to Spain in the near future look very much like a sinister move in that direction and are deplored by democrats in this country? Will he point out to those two leaders that it is very bad taste, politically, for them to visit that country where at the moment 271 men and women are in prison for political crimes, some of them for periods of up to twenty years, and that there is no political democracy in Spain today?
§ Mr. LloydThere are many matters about which I can be fairly questioned in the House, but the movements of President Eisenhower or the head of the German Government are not matters about which it is fair to question me. I doubt whether it would be wise or expedient to make the representations which the hon. Lady suggests
§ Mr. HealeyDoes the Foreign Secretary agree that the inclusion of Spain in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation would be not only an affront to the deeply-held convictions of many millions 1165 of people in countries which are members of that Organisation, but also inconsistent with the terms of the Treaty itself?
§ Mr. LloydThe question which I was asked was, "What representations have been made?", and the question of membership of N.A.T.O. is a matter for all the members of that Organisation.