§ 2.41 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether Great Britain is still bound by the understandings described in Note 3 to the Treaty of 1936 in the following terms: "The armament and equipment, land and air, of the Egyptian Forces shall not differ in type from those of the British Forces. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom undertake to use their good offices to facilitate the supply of such armament and equipment from the United Kingdom ": and to ask whether the Speech from the Throne in Cairo constitutes in the opinion of His Majesty's Government a breach of the Treaty of 1936, and further, if the Treaty becomes void through breach, what remains the basis of military arrangements between Great Britain and Egypt.]
602THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD HENDER-SON)My Lords, in view of the fact that my right honourable friend is about to begin conversations with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, I hope the noble Viscount will agree that it would be better not to deal with the question of the 1936 Treaty by question and answer.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, I cordially accept the suggestion made by my noble friend. May I ask him whether a statement will be made in this House at the conclusion of these talks?
§ LORD HENDERSONMy Lords, I cannot answer that at the moment, but I will put the suggestion to my noble leader in due course.