Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Prime Minister what reply was given to the representations made by Señor Don Marsano, one of the representatives of General Franco in this country, on the subject of tourist traffic to those parts of Spain held by the insurgent forces; whether passport facilities will be granted for this purpose and the visa given by the representatives of the insurgent authorities will be recognised; and whether, in view of arrangements being made for visits of British holiday makers to the battlefields of Spain held by General Franco, he is satisfied that such facilities are consistent with the non-intervention policy of His Majesty's Government?
§ Mr. ButlerIn response to an inquiry, General.Franco's agency in London was informed on r9th May that, as it was the present policy of His Majesty's Government to discourage British subjects, so far as possible, from visiting Spain unless they had some urgent business reason for wishing to proceed there, no special passport facilities could be given to persons intending to take part in a proposed tour organised by the National Association of Tourism of Nationalist Spain. It was added that all British subjects, without exception, desiring to proceed to Spain must make a separate application to the Passport Office for an endorsement.
In accordance with practice, such British subjects as may apply for an endorsement in connection with the tour in question will be required personally to sign a declaration stating that they undertake that nothing will take place in the course of their visit that can be considered as implying any intervention by them on behalf of either side in the present dispute in Spain, that they have been warned of the dangers and difficulties they may encounter in Spain, and that they acknowledge that they have no cause for complaint if any of His Majesty's Representatives do not afford them protection or assistance in case of need. Endorsements will not of course be issued to any persons suspected of intention to enlist. No question of recognising visas issued by General Franco's agency arises in this connection.
While, as I have indicated, His Majesty's Government deprecate visits 1109W to Spain for other than urgent and necessary reasons, they do not consider that the grant of passport facilities in the circumstances described would be inconsistent with their policy of nonintervention.