§ 19. Mr. J. HARRISasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the League of Nations passed at its assembly on 15th December, 1920, a. recommendation limiting the scale of expenditure on armaments, and that during the last meeting of the Council Viscount Cecil was instructed to inform his colleagues that Great Britain was not prepared to adhere to this recommendation; whether the British delegates had voted in favour of this recommendation at Geneva; and whether His Majesty's Government will consider what effective steps can be taken by Great Britain to give a more consistent lead upon the question of the limitation of armaments?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe position is not quite as suggested in the hon. Member's question. The recommendation to which he refers covered a definite period which expired last year. The last Assembly passed a new resolution, which was supported by the British delegation, requesting the Council to recommend members of the League, subject to certain reservations, not to exceed the expenditure on armaments provided for in their Budgets for the current financial year during the period necessary for the elaboration and adoption of the general scheme for the reduction of armaments. On examining this resolution the late 1289 Government felt that, although no binding undertaking was involved, it would, nevertheless, be invidious to support the issue of a recommendation with which, in view of the indefinite period covered by it, they or their successors might find it impossible to comply Viscount Cecil was, accordingly, requested to propose at de last meeting of the Council that further consideration of the matter be postponed till the next meeting. His proposal was adopted. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made in the House on Tuesday in regard to the attitude of the Government towards League of Nations matters in general.