asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken by the British representative to support the communication of General Wemyss, the U.S. representative on the Allied Control in Hungary, addressed to Lieutenant-General Svirdov, Vice-Chairman of the Allied Control Commission in Hungary, protesting against the arrest of Deputy Bela Kovaks, the Secretary-General of the Smallholders' Party, by the Soviet forces of occupation.

Mr. McNeil:

I have nothing to add to my reply of 19th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr. Haire), except that General Edgecumbe, the British representative on the Allied Control Commission, has since informed the Soviet chairman that His Majesty's Government maintain their view expressed in their Note of 9th March, 1947.

Is not this a flagrant violation of Article 2, Clause (4), of the Charter of the United Nations, under which Russia has undertaken not to use force 'against the political independence of a foreign nation?

Mr. McNeil:

In our Note we did indicate that we wished that an investigation into the circumstances of the arrest should take place.

What is the good of Notes?