HL Deb 19 February 1958 vol 207 cc811-2

3.4 p.m.

VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My 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 if they have any statement to make about the situation in the Sudan.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF GOSFORD)

My Lords, I regret that I am not in a position to make a statement on this matter to-day. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary is hoping to be in a position to refer to the situation in the Sudan during the course of the Foreign Affairs debate in another place to-morrow afternoon. In that event, with your Lordships' permission, I will make a statement here on similar lines tomorrow afternoon. I hope immediately before the Royal Commission.

VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Earl. I will put down a Private Notice Question tomorrow and will await what the noble Earl has to say.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl two questions? First, will there be time by to-morrow to ascertain whether the consent of the Egyptian Assembly or Council was sought in 1902 when a part of Egyptian territory under the Treaty of 1899 was transferred to the Sudan; whether those facts are known, and whether he will identify the documents? Secondly, can be do something to restrain The Times from publishing provocative and insulting articles which can only harm the situation?

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, with your Lordships' permission I should prefer not to answer at this stage the first part of the noble Viscount's question. As to the second part of the question, the noble Viscount knows as well as I do that the Press in this country are, if not a law unto themselves, at least pretty well independent.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

Does the noble Earl mean that there is no record in the Foreign Office of the transfer of 10.000 square miles, I think it is, of territory from Egypt to the Sudan which was done of course when Lord Cromer ruled the whole country? Surely there must be some record of this.

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

I am sure there is a record, but I think your Lordships will agree that for me to answer a detailed question like that without prior notice is asking a bit much.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

I did not ask that. I asked whether the noble Earl would answer it in the debate to-morrow.

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

I beg the noble Viscount's pardon. I did not understand that.