Minutes (extract)

              N.C.L. Nov 22 1938
169. SPAIN: 
A delegation consisting of Senor J. Vega and Senor M.E. Ogier Preteceille were introduced to the Council, and it was explained that their main purpose in visiting London was to seek assistance in connection with the Anglo-Spanish Clearing Agreement.
Senor Vega, whose speech was translated by Senor Preteceille, spoke at length upon the general situation in Spain; he expressed appreciation for the assistance that had been rendered by the British Labour Movement, and for the visits that had been paid by British Comrades to Spanish Government territory. He expressed the gratification of the Spanish people to the British sailors who had faced the blockade in order to carry supplies of food stuffs to Spanish Government ports.
He spoke at length upon the development of War industry under Spanish Government auspices, and suggested that the occasion of the visit of the British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to Paris the following day might be used as an opportunity for renewing the declaration of the National Council's opposition to the granting of belligerent rights to General Franco.
A memorandum on the Anglo-Spanish Clearing Agreement had been circulated, and on the suggestion of Mr. Hugh Dalton, it was agreed that the members of the Spanish delegation should be introduced that evening to Mr. Pethick-Lawrence, who was to speak in the House of Commons that night in connection with the Expiring Laws Continuation Bill, as it was understood that the Agreement referred to would be affected by that measure, and there would probably be an opportunity of immediately ventilating the