§ Mr. T. Smithasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that between November and December last, three vessels were stopped in the Straits of Gibraltar by armed trawlers of the Spanish rebels' fleet; that two of these vessels, the Greek steamer "Illissos," and the Latvian steamer "Everards," were carrying British coal cargoes to Oran, French Algeria; that the vessels were forced to steam to Ceuta, where their cargoes were compulsorily discharged and confiscated, and the ships' crews detained for weeks under conditions of hardship; that two of the vessels were stolen and sent to sea again under the Franco colours; and whether, in view of the fact that ships carrying British cargoes to non-Spanish ports have been the victims of piracy, he 382W will state what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Mr. ButlerAccording to my Noble Friend's information, the cargo carried by the Greek steamship "Illissos" and the Latvian steamship "Everards," though of British origin, was already the property of the French consignees at the time when these two vessels were seized by General Franco's forces. Nevertheless, in view of the indirect British interest in these ships, His Majesty's Government supported the representations made by the French Government to the Burgos Authorities for the release of the vessels and their cargoes. These representations resulted in the release of the steamship "Illissos."
§ Mr. Kirbyasked the Prime Minister whether he will state the number of British ships which have been bombed or otherwise attacked in Spanish waters since the commencement of the civil war, and the number of Britishers who lost their lives or were wounded or otherwise injured as a result of such attacks?
§ Mr. ButlerNinety-nine ships have been attacked in the circumstances described since the beginning of the present hostilities; in the majority of these cases, where damage has resulted, it has been of a relatively slight character. I regret to say that 26 British subjects are known to have been killed and 26 more to have been injured.
§ Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Prime Minister whether the 8,000 members of the International Brigade who have not yet been evacuated from Spanish Government territory, have been withdrawn from active participation in the civil war?
§ Mr. ButlerMy Noble Friend understands that the Spanish Government maintain their intention of evacuating the remaining foreign volunteers in their territory, and that they have ordered an investigation to ensure that their instructions to keep these men out of the fighting line are being carried out.
§ Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to publish the report of the British Commission for the investigation of air-raids in Spain with regard to the raids on Barcelona on 1st of January of this year?
§ Mr. ButlerIn accordance with the usual practice, copies of this report were given 383W to the Press by the Foreign Office at the time of its receipt, and it was also communicated to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations.
§ Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Prime Minister whether he has received from the Governor of Gibraltar any information confirming the statement contained in a recent note from General Franco, that France supplied arms and munitions to the Spanish Government destroyer "José Luis Diez" while under repairs at Gibraltar?
§ Mr. ButlerThe information received from the Governor of Gibraltar does not bear out the statements referred to in the question.