– in the House of Commons at on 9 April 1941.
Mr George Garro-Jones
, Aberdeen North
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information in regard to an offer made by the Vichy Government to the Turkish Government affecting a change in status of Syria to Turkey's advantage, on condition that Turkey revised its policy in Europe?
Mr R.A. Butler
, Saffron Walden
So far as I am aware, no such offer has been made to the Turkish Government.
Mr George Garro-Jones
, Aberdeen North
Seeing that there have been extensive reports to this effect in usually reliable newspapers, is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that this does not represent one further failure of our diplomatic service to provide his right hon. Friend with information about what is going on?
Mr R.A. Butler
, Saffron Walden
I should repudiate any such suggestion. My right hon. Friend is exceptionally well informed, as has been indicated by many recent events, and in this case, if the hon. Member will direct my attention to circumstantial evidence, he will make us even better informed than we usually are.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
