asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what representations have been received from sources other than the Spanish Government suggesting that Gibraltar should be transferred from British to Spanish control.

No representations of this kind have been received by Her Majesty's Government.

If no representations have been received from sources other than the Spanish Government, what representations have Her Majesty's Government received, directly or indirectly, from representatives of the Franco Government?

That is an entirely different question.

Would the hon. Gentleman answer it?

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is in contact from time to time with the Spanish Government to try to promote good working relations over Gibraltar. It would be unfortunate to do anything to interfere with that atmosphere and spirit of negotiation.

Now that it has been admitted that the Foreign Secretary has been in touch with the Spanish Government all along the line, are we to understand that during his discussions with the Spanish Government some representations were made to him by the Spanish Government about the transfer of Gibraltar to Spain? Could we be told whether that was linked with the question of the provision of British frigates for Spain?

The first part of the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. It would be a pity to upset these informal interchanges between my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Spanish Government by this bigoted attitude about frigates. It is always better to trade and to talk than to carp and to criticise.