Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: May I press the Prime Minister to answer a question put by me, which I do not think he did quite answer? I appreciate that the British Government are holding the ring for some future election in Greece, and the question I put to him is: Will he assure us that, so far as the British Government are concerned, any support that we give to the Government of Greece is accompanied by recommendations...
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: The Gracious Speech at the opening of the Tenth Session of Parliament, is a notable milestone in the war. It coincides with the first public recital of the superb achievements of the British people, and also with the first slight relaxation of the sacrifices to which the people of this country have voluntarily subjected themselves. It takes cognisance of the fact that without in the least...
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: I think that interruption is really quite unnecessary.
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: The Noble Lady perfectly well knows that there are——[Interruption.] If the Noble Lady will contain herself and remain silent, I will answer her. It is perfectly well-known that there are elements in this country of a reactionary character. I am not going to specify them, but they are perfectly well-known.
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: I have said that I acquit the Government and the right hon. Gentleman from any connection with them, but I have said that, on the other hand, there is a danger that it is very much easier to support established institutions of a Right Wing character and to be put off from the really democratic view, because it is expressed more turbulently and incoherently.
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: Having said that, I want to give one or two illustrations from history showing how that happened. It will be remembered that there was a time when there was a very Left-Wing Government in Hungary. I am not going to say whether that was a good Government or not, but the British Government of the day destroyed that Government by a food policy and definitely set up the Government of Horthy,...
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: The Government of Bela Kun was destroyed, and I suggest, without expressing any opinion whether it was a good Government or not—that is not my point—that the influence of the Allies at the time, and, I think, mainly of this country, destroyed that Government and set up, in fact, Horthy's Government to take its place. I will give another illustration. There was a time when King Fuad in...
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: Yes, I think that the right hon. Gentleman made that Treaty. I am very glad he did. I said that prior to his time there was an unfortunate position set up in the opposite direction. Of more recent date, there was the case of Admiral Darlan, which, whatever may have been the justification for it, certainly created a very great deal of misunderstanding in this and in other countries. I have...
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: Those who speak in the name of the Allies have, themselves, very grave dangers on both sides to consider and to face. They have great powers and they have to avoid these dangers—on the one hand, to do nothing to thwart democracy, and on the other, to allow nothing to interfere with their most active prosecution of the war. Those are the general guide-posts within which my mind approaches...
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: We do not share the hon. Member's views.
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: I think, Major Milner, that we are entitled to ask the Minister this question. If, as I am rather sorry to hear, he has accepted this Amendment, does that imply that he is going to accept a change from the word "insurance" to the word "security"?
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: It is not a matter of particular importance, I agree, but the Government seem to be very ready to adopt the change. They adopted a word which has considerable usage and it was assumed in all quarters that the Government would stand by their own decision. But in the few minutes that I was out of the Chamber the Government seemed to alter their mind. They now desire to change the Title of the...
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: May I ask the Leader of the House what will be the Business for next week?
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: (by Private Notice) asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any statement to make about a change in any of the present issues of Government Securities.
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: Can the Chancellor say in what form Income Tax will be payable on this new security?
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what progress has already been made in giving effect to the Pensions (Increase) Act, so far as teachers are concerned; and how long it will be before all existing pensioners so entitled will be in receipt of their increased pensions.
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: Can the right hon. Gentleman give any idea of how many of the 44,000 claims have been dealt with?
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: The Chancellor said that the practice of his Department up to now had been to distinguish between the owner-occupier and the owner in regard to Death Duties, but as I understood him, he did not explain what the distinction was, and I would be glad if he could do so, or perhaps tell me that I did misunderstand him.
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: The right hon. Gentleman will not forget the Public Accounts Committee, I hope.
Mr Frederick Pethick-Lawrence: Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman please address the Chair?