§ 6. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is now the position of the Committee for the Regulation of the Trade in and State Manufacture of Arms and Implements of War; for what reason it has been adjourned; and whether His Majesty's Government will use its influence to secure an early date for the renewal of its work?
§ Sir J. SIMONThe committee has drawn up a preliminary report which will come before the bureau of the conference in the near future. His Majesty's Government are anxious that the committee should resume its work at an early date, but consider that it may be necessary for the general commission of the conference to reach a decision on certain important questions of principle before the committee can usefully proceed with the task allotted to it.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the British representative, who in the past has always opposed any sort of regulation of arms by private concerns, is now receiving fresh instructions, or whether we are to expect that he will persist in his opposition to any control?
§ Sir J. SIMONThe British representative at the moment is my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and I have the most complete confidence in his discretion.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSWhile informing the right hon. Gentleman that I made no reference to the Under-Secretary, may I ask whether the Under-Secretary will now receive different instructions from those given by the late Government?
§ Sir J. SIMONI cannot answer that question. It would have to be put down and considered carefully.
§ 35. Mr. AMERYasked the Prime Minister whether the Government are in a position to announce their decision with regard to the proposal for the abolition of all naval and military aviation and the internationalisation of civil aviation?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Ramsay MacDonald)The Debate to-morrow will give an opportunity for the expression of views, and the Government will take part, but Government proposals must be duly formulated and presented to the Disarmament Conference at Geneva at the same time as to the House, under the conditions I have already explained to the House.
§ Mr. EVERARDWhen considering this matter will the Prime Minister take into account the fact that 586 people owed their lives to being saved by the Royal Air Force in 1928, as did a great many other people in similar circumstances, showing that the Royal Air Force have done a great deal of peace work?
§ Mr. HOLFORD KNIGHTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the intense desire throughout the country that this conference may be assisted in every possible way by the Government?
§ The PRIME MINISTERRegarding the last question, as a matter of fact that is so. Regarding the first question, I can assure the hon. Member that these considerations and a very large class of similar considerations are fully in the mind of the Government.