§ 2.52 p.m.
§ LORD TEVIOTMy 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, in regard to the Archbishop of Canterbury's invitation to Archbishop Makarios to attend the Lambeth Conference on June 27, and in view of the past and present activities of Archbishop Makarios and the distress caused by this invitation to many of our people who are mourning relatives murdered in Cyprus, they will consider taking steps to prevent his admission to this country.]
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, Archbishop Makarios enjoys the normal rights of a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies. Her Majesty's Government therefore have no power to exclude Archbishop Makarios from this country. The decision whether to invite him to this country for the Lambeth Conference was a matter for the ecclesiastical authorities, and the Archbishop of Canterbury was so informed.
§ LORD TEVIOTMy Lords, in view of the statement which I understand the noble Earl the Leader of the House is to make later this afternoon, I do not propose to ask any supplementary questions at this stage, but the House will no doubt wish to consider most carefully what has been said in the Government reply.
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend. I think that everybody wishes to make it possible for us to get a favourable outcome to the Cyprus question, and therefore it is a help to me not to have to answer questions simply "off the cuff".
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy 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 Archbishop Makarios is a British subject, whether he has been issued with a British passport, and whether it was with the aid of this British passport that he recently visited Egypt.]
985THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, Archbishop Makarios, as a native of Cyprus, is a British subject and is the holder of a British passport. So far as is known, it was valid at the time of his visit to Egypt; it is not known whether he used it.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, for the reason which has already been given by my noble friend Lord Teviot, I do not propose to ask any supplementary questions at the present stage, but I think that it is only right that your Lordships should be aware of the full facts regarding the Archbishop.
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, perhaps I may say that I hope to make a statement about half past three, or soon after.