§ 88. Mr. Manderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what replies have been received by the Secretariat of the League of Nations as to the willingness of members of the League to accept the system of publicity based on the draft Convention drawn up by the competent sub-committee of the Disarmament Con- 36 ference; and what further action is being taken?
§ Mr. EdenUp to 4th October, 19 States, out of the 61 States consulted, had replied to the inquiry addressed to them by the Bureau of the Disarmament Conference as to their willingness to accept in principle a system of publicity based on the Draft Convention on Publicity for National Defence expenditure. Acknowledgements had been received from four others. Of the 19 States in question, a number accepted without qualification the principle of budgetary publicity; others made their acceptance in principle subject to important reservations or observations. His Majesty's Government have replied to the effect that they will accept a system of budgetary publicity based on the Draft Convention, provided that such a system is also accepted by the principal naval and military Powers of the world. In view of the number of replies which are still outstanding, a new circular letter is to be sent out by the Secretary-General for the purpose of expediting these replies.