§ LORD DAVIESMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first question standing in my name.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether Sir Earle Page has been nominated by the Prime Minister of Australia to serve as his deputy in the War Cabinet and, if so, whether during the term of his appointment he is a member of this Cabinet and is entitled to attend all its meetings.]
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS (LORD CECIL) (Viscount Cranborne)My Lords, I am very glad to answer the question which has been asked by the noble Lord. Sir Earle Page was nominated by his Government as accredited spokesman of His Majesty's Government for the Commonwealth of Australia to come to this country to discuss questions in which matters relating to Australia were concerned. At the invitation of the Prime Minister, he has attended meetings of the War Cabinet at which matters of interest to Australia have been under consideration, and during his visit he will continue to attend such meetings.
§ LORD DAVIESArising out of that answer may I ask whether "accredited representative "or" accredited spokesman "means the same thing as the nominee and the substitute of the Prime Minister of Australia, and, if so, why is Sir Earle Page not accorded the same status as the ex-Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Menzies, when he visited this country? Mr. Menzies was a member of the War Cabinet and was therefore entitled to attend all its meetings.
§ LORD CECILI do not think it would really be very helpful to go further into these questions. Sir Earle Page is an envoy of his Government. He is not a member of the present Government, he is an envoy sent by it to this country.