§ Lieut.-Commander FLETCHERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, as the returns of the Suez Canal authorities indicate that poison gas, or the constituents of poison gas, are being shipped through the Suez Canal by the Italian Goernment, in view of the illegality of such shipments under various conventions and treaties prohibiting the use of poison gas, he will say what steps His Majesty's Government are taking to stop such traffic?
§ Mr. EDENIn reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, East (Mr. Mander) on 22nd April, I described the. action taken by the League of Nations, with the full co-operation of His Majesty's Government, with regard to the alleged use of poison gas by the Italian forces. The policy of His Majesty's Government towards the Italo-Ethiopian 915W dispute has throughout been based upon collective action through the League, and they cannot therefore take any unilateral action in this matter.