HC Deb 08 April 1925 vol 182 cc2204-5
14. Mr. HARRIS

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any information as to the summoning of a new Disarmament Conference by the President of the United States and as to the willingness of the French and other Governments to participate in such a Conference?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part therefore does not arise. I may add that I informed the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Ken-worthy), in answer to a similar question on the 18th February, that I would communicate with him as soon as I could usefully make a statement on the subject.

Captain BENN

Will the Government delay any action on the report of the Naval Construction Committee until these proposals have become more specific?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

That is not a question for me.

Mr. HARRIS

The question I asked was whether the right hon. Gentleman had received any information. Am I to understand the subject has never been mooted to His Majesty's Government?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

The answer I gave appears to me to be an answer to the question the hon. Gentleman put. It was, "The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative."

23. Mr. FENBY

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will consider preparing a reasoned statement of British naval needs that could be put forward as a basis for the limitation of naval armaments?

Mr. DAVIDSON

His Majesty's Government would gladly co-operate with the other principal naval Powers in the further restriction of naval armaments, and have already given much attention to the subject, but the publication of such a statement as the hon. Member suggests would not conduce to this end, or be in the public interest.

Brigadier-General Sir HENRY CROFT

May I ask whether it is not the fact that this country has decreased its naval armaments to a far larger extent than any other country in the world that can be regarded as a naval Power?

Mr. DAVIDSON

I think all the information is covered in the Return.

Lieut.-Colonel Sir JOSEPH NALL

Can the hon. Gentleman assure the House that in any further conferences of the kind, British naval power will not be reduced disproportionately to that of other Powers?

Mr. DAVIDSON

I think that question must be left over. It is hypothetical.