§ Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Prime Minister whether it is for reasons of policy that His Majesty's Ambassador to the Spanish Government has not been resident at the seat of the Spanish Government during the course of the civil war in Spain; and whether any representations have been received from the Spanish Government concerning this?
§ Mr. ButlerIn view of the present situation in Spain the arrangement by which a Minister is resident at Barcelona and an Agent at Burgos, both under the196W general direction of His Majesty's Embassy at Hendaye, has appeared to His Majesty's Government to be the most suitable ever since the appointment of the British Agent at Burgos. Representations were received from the Spanish Government on this subject in January last, and a reply sent to the effect that there could be no alteration, for the time being, in the existing arrangements for His Majesty's representation in Spain.
§ Mr. Kennedyasked the Prime Minister when the scheme at present before the Non-Intervention Committee, providing for the withdrawal of foreign volunteers from Spain, will take effect?
§ Mr. ButlerThe Scheme is being considered at a plenary session of the Non-Intervention Committee this afternoon when His Majesty's Government earnestly hope that it will be accepted. Since parts of it cannot be put into effect without the co-operation of the two parties in Spain, it is clear that it must also be communicated to the latter and this will no doubt be done as soon as the scheme has been accepted by the Committee. I understand that it can be put into operation as soon as acceptance of the two parties in Spain has been communicated to the Non-Intervention Committee.
§ Mr. Petherickasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the average rates of freight at present being obtained for similar cargoes from British ports to Valencia and Oran and also to Barcelona and Marseilles, respectively?
Mr. StanleyIt is not possible to state the average rates of freights for similar cargoes to the ports in question, but my inquiries indicate that the freight rates on coal to Barcelona and Valencia, some two or three weeks ago, were some three 197W times the rates on coal to Marseilles and Oran, and that present rates to the Spanish ports would be appreciably higher. I understand that a similar relationship does not necessarily apply to the relative freights on other commodities. It has to be remembered that the cost of operation and particularly of insurance against war risks are very much heavier in the case of the Spanish ports than in the case of Oran and Marseilles.
§ Mr. Petherickasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the relative rate of wages paid to officers and men in ships trading to ports under the control of the Valencia Government and to officers and men in ships trading to neutral Mediterranean ports?
Mr. StanleyI am informed that, under agreements of the National Maritime Board, crews engaged in the United Kingdom on ordinary Board of Trade foreign-going articles of vessels trading to ports in Spain shall receive a bonus of a certain percentage of the daily wage for the time spent in visiting Spanish ports. This percentage varies from 5o per cent. to 200 per cent. according to the port or ports visited. I am sending my hon. Friend the circulars issued by the National Maritime Board, which set out the particulars. No such arrangement exists in the case of ships running to Mediterranean ports other than Spanish ports.
§ Colonel Ponsonbyasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the names of British shipowning firms which before the civil war traded to ports in Spain now under the control of the republican government and which are now no longer sending their ships to those ports?
Mr. StanleyI understand that in normal times the British shipping trade with the ports in question was carried on by tramps, by occasional or seasonal calls of vessels in Mediterranean liner trades when cargo offered, and by one line of cargo liners running regularly to these ports. The only information available is the names of some of the liner companies which used to send their vessels to these ports before the civil war and no longer do so. They are Messrs. MacAndrews and Company, Limited, Messrs. James Currie and Company, Messrs. Westcott and Laurence, the198W General Steam Navigation Company, the Moss Hutchison Line and John Bruce and Company, Limited.
§ Colonel Ponsonbyasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the tonnage of British ships trading with ports under the control of the Spanish republican government during the last three months, and what percentage of that tonnage was formerly employed in the same trade in the three months preceding the outbreak of the civil war?
Mr. StanleyThe information desired is not available, but I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given to his other question which was answered to-day.
§ Mr. Bennasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether and, if so, when it is proposed to lay a Supplementary Estimate to provide for the cost of evacuation of foreign troops from Spain?
§ Captain WallaceA Supplementary Estimate for Diplomatic and Consular Services, which will make provision for this and other services, will be presented on or before the i4th July.