§ 67. Mr. Ernest Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he proposes to take to protect the Gibraltarians from the discrimination that is practised against them by the Spanish Government.
§ 69. Mr. G. Jegerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to make a statement on the visit to Britain by representatives of Gibraltar.
72. Miss Wardasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to make a statement on the result of his conversations with the delegation from Gibraltar.
§ 77. Mr. Peytonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to make a statement as a result of the visit by a delegation of members of the Gibraltar Legislative and City Councils.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has already dealt with the question of discrimination. I regret that in recent months a number of restrictions have been imposed by the Spanish Government on the normal flow of trade and persons out of and into Gibraltar. The objects of the delegation in coming to London were, first, to assure Her Majesty's Government of the complete loyalty of the people of Gibraltar to the British Crown, and, secondly, to discuss the situation created by these restrictions.
I was, of course, able to tell the delegation that no one in this country has ever had any doubts as to the complete and absolute loyalty of the population of Gibraltar and to repeat to them the assurance which I gave a couple of months ago that Gibraltar's integrity as a British possession was beyond dispute.
I have also given the delegation an assurance that Her Majesty's Government have no intention of allowing future essential development in Gibraltar to suffer through no fault of the Colony. On the understanding that the Gibraltar 131W Government will make the maximum possible use of their own resources, Her Majesty's Government will, subject to Parliamentary approval, be prepared to give such assistance as may prove to be needed for carrying out this development.