THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, I have given private notice of a question I have to put to the Secretary of State for India. Your Lordships will have observed that an unfortunate crisis has arisen between His Majesty's Governors and His Majesty's Ministers in certain Provinces in India, and I would like to ask the Secretary of State, not to make any statement to-day, but whether he could supply the House—possibly in the form of a White Paper—with some information as to how this has arisen and, in particular, any statements which have peen issued either by the Governors or the Ministers explaining their attitude in this crisis.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (THE MARQUESS OF ZETLAND)My Lords, in answering the noble Marquess, may I take this opportunity of saying how profoundly I regret that two of the Ministries should have found it necessary to resign, more particularly since, as it seems to me, the difference 745 between them and the Governor-General, which is the cause of their resignation, seems to have been one of degree rather than of kind, as I hope will become clear when I supply your Lordships with the information for which the noble Marquess has just asked. In reply to his question, let me say I shall be only too happy to provide the House with the information which he seeks in the form of a White Paper. He will understand, of course, that some part of the information required to make the statement complete will have to be obtained from India, and in these circumstances I cannot give him any assurance as to how soon it will be possible to issue the White Paper; but he may rest assured that it will be issued with the least possible delay.