61. Mr. Baker Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that on 16th June the Czechoslovak Government opened an exhibition of Czechoslovak products in the premises of the British-Czechoslovak Friendship 5W League, thus making the League a direct propaganda agency of that Government, taking over fully the activities of the Information Section of the Embassy closed down in retaliation for the closing of the British Information Service and British Council offices in Prague; and what action he proposes to take to deal with this circumvention of his action.
§ Mr. Younger:Yes. I am aware that a display of Czechoslovak products has been organised on the premises of the British-Czechoslovak Friendship League. I do not, however, quite follow the hon. Member's argument that this makes the League a direct propaganda agency of the Czechoslovak Government.
As has previously been stated, the League is registered as a British organisation and, so long as it does not infringe the law of the land, there is no power to interfere with its activities.