HL Deb 27 June 1950 vol 167 cc1063-4

4.10 p.m.

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (VISCOUNT ADDISON)

My Lords, with the permission of the House I should like to intervene to read a short statement about Korea which the Prime Minister made in the other place a few minutes ago. He said:

"I have very little to add to the Press reports on the fighting in Korea. The scale and intensity of the attack leaves no doubt that this is a full-scale invasion. Although the attack was launched all along the 38° Parallel, the first and main objective is clearly Seoul. The situation in and around Seoul is confused. There are reports that Northern Korean forces are pressing southwards to the east and west of Seoul, making full use of their superior mobility and greater weight of armour and artillery.

The latest information about the small United Kingdom community is that all of them, and all the other Commonwealth women and children living in Seoul, who wished to leave, moved to Inchon (the port for Seoul) on June 26 for evacuation by sea.

The Security Council is meeting again this afternoon.

With permission of the House, I will interrupt the debate later to-day if any further developments of importance occur."

VISCOUNT SWINTON

My Lords, I am sure your Lordships are grateful to the noble Viscount the Leader of the House for making that statement. I should like to ask him two questions, one particular and one general. I do not know whether he is able to say what is the approximate number of British and Commonwealth subjects in South Korea. My other question the noble Viscount has rather anticipated by his last sentence. I feel sure that if there is other information to give to the House, either to-day or on any other day when we are sitting, he will not hesitate to give it.

VISCOUNT ADDISON

My Lords, as to the last observation of the noble Viscount, I can assure him that if there is any further information to be communicated to the House I will take the earliest opportunity of putting it before your Lordships. With regard to the noble Viscount's first question, I am informed that the total number of British nationals, including members of other Commonwealth countries, in Southern Korea is approximately eighty.