§ 2.45 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they can confirm or deny the Press report stating that 22 Aden Protectorate chieftains, claiming leadership of 60,000 tribesmen, have declared their readiness to use force to drive out the British.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF PERTH)My Lords, these so-called chieftains are, for the most part, renegade members of leading families who have been disowned and discredited by their leaders. They and any Protectorate tribesmen who have crossed into the Yemen are incited to rebel against their own Rulers by lavish promises of arms and money. Numbers are difficult to estimate but must be presumed at any time to be in direct proportion to the bribes and subversive efforts of the Yemen.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his Answer. Arising out of it, may I ask him, first, whether any of the so-called chieftains are Rulers who are in treaty relations with Her Majesty; secondly, whether any of them are still residing in the Protectorate.
§ THE EARL OF PERTHI am afraid that I have not the exact answer to those questions. Certainly, the majority of these people are, as I have said, so-called chieftains and, in fact, renegades. I might observe that all these activities are 990 in flagrant contravention of the 1934 Anglo-Yemeni Treaty.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, in view of the occurrences out there, which are very disturbing to us in all parts of the House—we receive propaganda from the Yemeni Legation from time to time—has the time not come to consider urgently whether this matter should be referred by this country to the United Nations Organisation?
§ THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, I think that is another question. If the noble Viscount will put it down some time we can consider it in that context.