THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 19, 1988.
SHARP QUESTIONS IN HOUSE OF COMMONS ON BRITISH SPAIN POLICY
London, To-day.
The Spanish situation and the negotiations recent- ly begun at Rome between the Italian and French Governments were the subject of several Commons questions, answered by the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and the answers, in turn, gave rise to a lively inter- change of supplementaries.
Mr. Arthur Henderson (Labour) asked, in view of Signor Musso- lini's reference at Genoa to the Spanish war and Franco-Italian negotiations, for an assurance that
!
BRITISH CIVIL
His Majesty's Government would AIR SERVICES'
support the French Government in resisting Italian pressure to change French policy towards the Spanish Government.
Mr. Butler replied: “Mr. Hender- son may rest assured that the good offices of His Majesty's Government are always at the disposal of the French and Italian Governments, should they desire them, with a view to expediting a settlement of the Spanish situation."
EXTENSION
London, To-day.
Sir Kingsley Wood was cheer ed in the Commons on rising as Secretary for Air, to move the second reading of the Air Navi- gation Bill which gives effect to those parts of Cadman Report which were accepted by Govern-
DRIVING A WEDGE Mr. Henderson: "In view of the ment. fact
the policies that
of the
Sir Kingsley Wood was cheered French Government and Hisin the Commons on rising, as Majesty's Government in relation Secretary for Air, to move the to Spain are the same, does second reading of the Air Naviga- His Majesty's Government intend tion Bill which gives effect to to allow the Italian Government to those parts of Cadman Report drive a wedge between them on this which were accepted by govern- question." Mr. Butler: "I do not ment.
was
now
the
necessarily accept the interpretation Additional financial assistance Mr. Henderson puts on Mussolini's to be given on the routes outside. speech and I cannot, therefore, give Europe will amount to about the assurance he desires."
$1,000,000, and a greater part of it Replying to another question by will be concentrated on the Empire Mr. P. I. Noel-Baker, (Labour), routes. As to European routes, who wished to know whether he the Minister stated some £4,000,000 could define the circumstances in would be devoted to improved ser- which His Majesty's Government vices. Daily British services were would consider a settlement of the already in operation to Paris, Spanish question had been arrived Brussels, Copenhagen and Stock- at Mr. Butler said he could not go holm. Rome was already served by further than the statement made the Empire route. It by the Prime Minister on May 2nd. planned to establish daily services
MUSSOLINI DEFINITION
Amster- Additionally to Berlin, Mr. Noel Baker: "Do the govern-dam, Prague, Vienna, Budapest,
all ment accept or repudiate the defini-Oslo and Lisbon, and an tion Mussolini has now given, that year round service to Switzerland, there must be a victory for Franco Sir Kingsley Wood also spoke of before a settlement can be arrived plans for the development of
medium-weight all-metal air-liner Mr. Butler: "Government policy which would be on the market ear- is given by the Prime Minister and ly next year and of other types to Trans- not by anybody else."
the longer European and Answering a further supplemen- Atlantic routes. tary by the Opposition Leader, Mr. He announced a subsidy to inter- Butler said: "The Prime Minister's nal air services of £100,000. refusal to define what was meant The Opposition moved the rejec- by settlement stands as it did in tion of the Bill on the grounds that the debate on May 2nd, when he air transport should be nationalis said it may be that later on
ed. The second reading was carri- shall get nearer the
108.-British time ed by 173 votes to when We shall' be able to Wireless.
That time
at."
give
definition. A
is not yet," added Mr. Butler. PREMIER'S INTERVIEW
we
A question by Mr. Wedgewood Benn (Labour) referred to an inter- view between the Premier and the Italian Ambassador in February and asked in what terms Mr. Cham-
LEAGUE COUNCIL DEBATE
London, To-day.
berlain had explained the meaning Proceedings at the recent meet-