§ 53. Mr. THURTLEasked the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government have instructed the British delegation to Geneva to support Signor Grandi's proposal for a truce in armaments and to put forward practical suggestions for an international agreement not to lay down new ships of war, not to construct new squadrons of aircraft, or to embark on expenditure on additional land material of war?
§ The LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL (Mr. Stanley Baldwin)His Majesty's Government are following with care the developments in the Third Committee of the Assembly of the 1622 Italian proposals for an armament truce. Instructions were sent to Lord Cecil yesterday to the effect that he could agree to the naval proposals, subject to their acceptance by all the other Powers, and that he could give an undertaking that his Majesty's Government will not increase their military or air Estimates for the year 1932–1933 above their present low level, unless unforeseen conditions or emergencies arise. I understand that Lord Cecil has not yet spoken in the committee, and his action will necessarily be governed to a great extent by the views and proposals put forward by other delegates; but His Majesty's Government are in cordial sympathy with the motives which prompted the suggestion of the Italian delegation, which was to create a favourable atmosphere for the Conference, and will do all they can to further that object.
Commander OLIVER LOCKERLAMPSONWill my right hon. Friend not agree to any reduction in armaments until the Russian Soviet has agreed?