§ Mr. RUNCIMANasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he trill instruct the recently appointed British Ambassador to Portugal to make representation to the Portuguese Government against acts of flag discrimination by them, and against those contained in the Portuguese Emigration Bill now before the Portuguese Parliament; and will he instruct the British Ambassador, in making these representations, to draw the attention of the Portuguese Government to the fact that Portugal is almost alone in the world in interfering with the freedom of the ships of all countries to carry on international trade through all ports on terms of absolute equality?
Mr. A. HENDERSONHis Majesty's Ambassador at Lisbon is fully aware of the present unsatisfactory position and of the desirability of inducing the Portuguese Government to abandon their traditional policy of flag discrimination, against which repeated protests have 1643W been made by His Majesty's Government in the past. I am in fact about to instruct Sir F. Lindley to make further representations to the Portuguese Government in the matter, and to repeat once more the views of His Majesty's Government on the subject. In regard to the Portuguese Emigration Bill, I assume that the right hon. Gentleman is referring to a Portuguese Decree, Number 17,554, passed on 5th November last, laying down that all ships sailing from or arriving at Portuguese ports with any Portuguese emigrants on board must carry certain medical personnel of Portuguese nationality. The question as to whether the effects of this Decree will be so prejudicial to British shipping as to warrant the making of representations to the Portuguese Government is now under consideration.