Lords Sitting of 31 May 1945

Preamble
The House met at two of the clock, The LORD CHANCELLOR on the Woolsack.
Prayers.

NORTH DEVON WATER BOARD BILL. [H.L.]
Read 3a, and passed, and sent to the Commons.
REQUISITIONED LAND AND WAR WORKS BILL.
Brought from the Commons; read 1a and to be printed.
FORESTRY BILL.
Brought from the Commons; read 1a, and to be printed.
WARRINGTON CORPORATION BILL.
The CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES informed the House that the opposition to the Bill was withdrawn. Order made on May 17 discharged, and the Bill committed.

REIGATE CORPORATION BILL. [H.L.]
Report from the Committee of Selection, That the following Lords be proposed to the House to form the Select Committee for the consideration of the said Bills, namely:

E. Shrewsbury,

E. Jersey,

L. Monkswell,

L. Hindlip,

L. Belstead (Chairman):

Agreed to, and the said Lords appointed accordingly. The Committee to meet on Thursday next at eleven o'clock, and all Petitions against the Bill or against alteration in the Bill referred to the Committee, with leave to the Petitioners praying to be heard by counsel against the Bill to be heard as desired, as also counsel for the Bill.

GLOUCESTER CORPORATION BILL. [H.L.]
Reported, with Amendments.

ENNERDALE GAS ORDER, 1945.
Report from the Special Orders Committee, That no Petition has been presented praying to be heard against the Special Order, and that there is nothing in this Order to which they think it necessary to call the attention of the House.
Read, and ordered to lie on the Table.

CLEARING OFFICE (TURKEY) (AMENDMENT) ORDER, 1945.
Report from the Special Orders Committee, That they have examined the Special Order as required by the Standing Orders of the House; that in their opinion the Order does not raise important questions of policy or principle; that the Order is founded on precedent inasmuch as it provides merely for the further operation of an Order which has received already the approval of the House; that in the opinion of the Committee the Order can be passed by the House without special attention; and that no further inquiry is necessary before the House proceeds to a decision on the Resolution to approve the said Order.
Read, and ordered to lie on the Table.

ELECTORAL REGISTRATION (No. 2) REGULATIONS, 1945.
Report from the Special Orders Committee, That they have examined the Special Order as required by the Standing Orders of the House; that in their opinion the provisions of the Order raise no important questions of policy or principle other than those which have been already accepted by the House when passing the Parliamentary Electors (War-Time Registration) Acts, 1943 and 1944, and the Representation of the People Act, 1945, under which the Order is submitted for approval; that the Order is founded on precedent inasmuch as similar Regulations have been submitted for approval under the Acts; that in the opinion of the Committee the Order can be passed by the House without special attention; and that no further inquiry is

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necessary before the House proceeds to a decision on the Resolution to approve the said Order.
Read, and ordered to lie on the Table.

HOUSE OF COMMONS (REDISTRIBUTION OF SEATS) ORDER, 1945
Report from the Special Orders Committee, That they have examined the Special Order as required by the Standing Orders of the House; that in their opinion they provisions of the Order raise questions of policy and principle which have been accepted already by the House when passing the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act, 1944, under which the Order is submitted for approval; that the Order is not founded on precedent, inasmuch as this is the first Order which has been submitted for the approval of Parliament under that Act; that in the opinion of the Committee the Order cannot be passed by the House without special attention, but that no further inquiry necessary before the House proceeds to a decision on the Resolution to approve the said Order.
Read, and ordered to lie on the Table.

TREASON BILL [H.L.]
House in Committee (according to Order): Bill reported without amendment.
Then, Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended, in pursuance of the Resolution of Tuesday last, Bill read 3a, and passed, and sent to the Commons.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
LORD TEMPLEMORE: My Lords, I understand that at a quarter past three, my noble friend the Acting Leader of the House will be in a position to make a statement on the situation in Syria. Therefore it may be for the convenience of your Lordships now to adjourn during pleasure.
House adjourned during pleasure.
House resumed, The EARL OF LUCAN on the Woolsack.

SITUATION IN THE LEVANT.
3.17 p.m.
THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (LORD WOOLTON): My Lords, I apologize for having kept you waiting for a few moments. Your Lordships will have read in the Press this morning the statement which my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary made in another place yesterday evening as to the serious state of affairs in Syria and the Lebanon. He undertook on that occasion to keep Parliament informed as early as he could of the decisions taken by His Majesty's Government in connexion with these deplorable incidents. He is making a statement in another place this afternoon in fulfilment of this undertaking, and he has asked me to give your Lordships a statement in similar terms. I shall therefore, with your Lordships' permission, read precisely what the Foreign Secretary is stating at this moment in another place.
The situation has deteriorated still further since last night. Our Minister in Damascus reports that there was very heavy fighting and shelling during the night and that two great fires were burning in the centre of the city, about a mile apart, but spreading. All telephone communication has been cut between Damascus and the sea coast and we are only in touch with him through the Army. An armistice was arranged with the French military authorities yesterday afternoon and the British and United States civilian colonies were evacuated from Damascus. After that the centre of the city was subjected to the heaviest and most concentrated shell fire yet directed upon it. It was also bombed from the air. The Governor of Hama has appealed to the Ninth Army to arrange an armistice in order that the many dead and wounded may be evacuated. The fighting has spread to other parts of Syria, and notably to Jebel-Druze, where French officers have been taken prisoner. The President and the Government of Syria have sent an urgent appeal to His Majesty's Government reminding us that we had endorsed the promise of independence and that we had said that the Treaty negotiations with France should be conducted freely and not under duress.
The greatest concern has been caused in the Middle East and serious fears are entertained for the state of tranquillity

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which is necessary in that area if a vital line of communication to the Far East is not to be disturbed. Every possible effort has been made to enjoin calm on both sides and I do not think that any further appeal in this sense would have any effect. In all the circumstances, His Majesty's Government have come to the conclusion that they cannot any longer stand aside, and the Prime Minister has accordingly to-day sent the following message to General de Gaulle:
"In view of the grave situation which has arisen between your troops and the Levant States, and the severe lighting which has broken out, we have, with profound regret, ordered the Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, to intervene and to prevent further effusion of blood in the interests of the security of the whole Middle East which involves communications for the war against Japan. In order to avoid collision between British and French Forces we request you immediately to order the French troops to cease fire and to withdraw to their barracks. Once firing has ceased, and order has been restored, we shall be prepared to begin tripartite discussions in London."
That is the end of the telegram to General de Gaulle.
I feel sure that the House will agree with me in deploring these events and will share my hope that, once order has been restored, we shall be able to resume the diplomatic initiative and to arrange a peaceful settlement which will be satisfactory to the parties concerned. We have also in mind, of course, arrangements by which the Syrian and Lebanese Governments will be associated with these discussions. We are in the closest touch with all the Governments interested, including the American Government, but I would not wish to say more about the diplomatic arrangements which we contemplate at this stage. I feel sure the House will also share my hope that nothing should be said at this stage which would make that diplomatic initiative more difficult.
3.23 p.m.
LORD NATHAN: My Lords, it is a grave statement that has just been made on behalf of His Majesty's Government. I agree with the noble Lord that in a situation of such seriousness and such delicacy it would be most unwise to make any comment without an opportunity for due reflection, and indeed without further information not now available. But this I feel I can safely say, that there is not one of your Lordships in any part of this
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House who will not deplore the unhappy position with which we are confronted. We must hope that wise and friendly counsel may yet be accepted by all the interests concerned and the situation he speedily and satisfactorily resolved. Meanwhile, I am sure that I speak for all my colleagues on these Benches when I say that His Majesty's Government may rely on the support of my noble friends in all such steps as may be calculated to allay passion and to be effective to restore and maintain order in the areas affected and to ensure the safety of the essential lines of communication.
3.25 p.m.
VISCOUNT SAMUEL: My Lords, I am sure your Lordships' House will be grateful to the noble Lord the Acting Leader of the House for this early communication on the grave turn of events in Syria. Unhappily, friction between the French and the Syrians is not new. I had the honour to be High Commissioner in Palestine some twenty years ago and was well aware even then of the tension that existed between them. Happily we were not involved in any of these disagreements and our own relations with the French authorities were excellent. Those who know the delicate position in that part of the world and how disturbances May spread like wildfire over large areas cannot but feel a deep concern at the present condition of affairs. Your Lordships will not regard this as an occasion for a discussion in this House of these events. Our position is indeed a sad one. Allies of the French we are also friends of the Arabs, and deeply regret that there should arise disagreement between those two parties. The only object of His Majesty's Government will be to promote pacification and in that they may be sure of the support of my noble friends who sit upon these Benches, in common with all other members of your Lordships' House.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
LORD WOOLTON: My Lords, in moving the adjournment of the House, I think it will be for your Lordships' convenience if I give some preliminary notice of the programme of business which we propose for next week, so far as we can foresee it at present. We shall sit on Monday next, June 4, meeting at the usual hour of 2 p.m. We propose to take the Com-

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mittee stage of the Water Bill, on which I understand there are some Amendments for debate. After that, we shall take the Second Readings of the Welsh Church (Burial Grounds) Bill and the Requisitioned Land and War Works Bill. The latter Bill has been a good deal changed during its passage through another place, and steps have been taken to circulate prints of the Bill as received front the Commons to your Lordships this evening.
On Tuesday next, we shall take the two Scottish Bills which are down on the Paper for Second Reading, the Town and Country Planning Bill and the Hydro-Electric Undertakings (Valuation for Rating) Bill; and also the Second Reading of the Forestry Bill. On Wednesday we shall take the Second Readings of the Scottish Education Bill, the Emergency Powers (Defence) Bill and the Distribution of industry Bill, which we expect to have received from another place earlier in the week. On Thursday, we hope to take the Committee stages of the Requisitioned Land, Town and Country Planning, Hydro-Electric Undertakings, and
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Forestry Bills; and the Second Reading of the Income Tax Bill. On Friday, we propose to meet at half-past eleven in the morning when we shall take the Committee stage of the Scottish Education Bill and shall proceed with other measures which may have been received from the Commons during the week.
In making that statement of somewhat rapid progress which we propose, your Lordships will realize that we are all the time subject to your Lordships' consent as to whether we get through so much business in the time. Perhaps your Lordships will let me take this opportunity of thanking noble Lords who have very kindly facilitated the passage of Government business by removing Motions which stood in their names for the coming week. I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.
Moved, That the House do now adjourn.—(Lord Woolton).
On Question, Motion agreed to.
House adjourned at twenty-nine minute past three o'clock