HL Deb 05 December 1951 vol 174 cc798-9

2.39 p.m.

LORD OGMORE

My 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 they will give a list of the names of the delegates and alternate delegates representing the United Kingdom at the present Session of the United Nations Assembly.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)

My Lords, the leader of the British Delegation is my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary. The other principal delegates are my right honourable and honourable friends the Minister of State, the Attorney-General and the Minister of Education, and Sir Gladwyn Jebb, the United Kingdom permanent delegate to the United Nations. The alternate delegates are my noble friends Lord Wakehurst and Lord Tweedsmuir, Sir Alan Burns, United Kingdom representative on the Trusteeship Council and Mr. J. E. Coulson, the United Kingdom Deputy Permanent Delegate to the United Nations.

LORD OGMORE

My Lords, whilst thanking the noble Marquess for that reply, may I ask which of the delegates or alternate delegates is looking after the special interests of the Commonwealth Relations Office and the Colonial Office, and whether any Minister is so charged?

THE MARQUESS OF READING

My Lords, the noble Lord gave me no indication that he was going to ask that question, but I think that Sir Alan Burns, the United Kingdom representative on the Trusteeship Council, came along at a later stage than some of the delegates, when it was found that the Colonial Secretary was going to Malaya and that the Colonial Office were hard pressed, and that he would be dealing with the majority of the questions. With regard to the Commonwealth Relations Office, I cannot at the moment say what the position is, but I will find out and let the noble Lord know.

LORD OGMORE

I am grateful to the noble Marquess. I am sorry that I did not give him notice of these points, but I thought that the information would have been given to him by the people who prepared the brief. I take it that it is a fact that no Minister is specially charged, because I think I am right in saying that in previous years a Minister has usually been charged with the special responsibility under these two Offices.

THE MARQUESS OF READING

In the list that I have given there is no Minister who, in his capacity as a member of the Government, has direct responsibility for those particular matters, but these matters are covered by the Delegation as a whole—tasks being allotted by the head of the Delegation. I do not doubt that the matters referred to by the noble Lord opposite are adequately cared for on behalf of His Majesty's Government.