HL Deb 24 March 1965 vol 264 cc624-5

2.57 p.m.

VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARD

My Lords, I beg leave 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 have any statement to make on the alleged smuggling across the Gibraltar-Spanish border.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS AND FOE THE COLONIES (LORD TAYLOR)

My Lords, I am not clear to which allegations the noble Viscount refers. Her Majesty's Government are always willing to discuss with the Spanish authorities means of co-operation in the control of any smuggling across the Gibraltar-Spanish border.

VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARD

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his Answer. Is he aware that about two or three weeks ago the Spanish Minister of Information and Tourism made an announcement on television that the smuggling from Gibraltar of cigarettes alone was equal to the whole consumption of Spain; and, further, that he also mentioned marijuana? Would the noble Lord not agree that this smuggling is not conducive to good Anglo-Spanish relations?

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, the answer to the last part of the noble Viscount's supplementary is that it is really for the Spanish authorities to control smuggling into Spain, and they have a powerful force arrayed so to do. With regard to the first part of the noble Viscount's supplementary, it is true that the Spanish Minister of Information and Tourism, in the course of a B.B.C. Panorama programme, made allegations about (a) the smuggling of cigarettes, (b) nearly 1,000 smuggling boats having been captured near Gibraltar, 40 by Spain, in recent months, and (c) nearly 200 lb. of marijuana having been smuggled. With regard to all these allegations, the facts are very different indeed. The marijuana in fact came from Ceuta and not Gibraltar; only one British and two foreign registered boats have been captured by Spain for smuggling in the past twelve months, and the amount of smuggling in cigarettes we have reason to believe is now very small indeed.

VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARD

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord. I am extremely pleased to hear that the smuggling of marijuana, a dreadful drug, has nothing to do with the British.