§ 34. Mr. CARYasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in the forth- 2590 coming staff talks in so far as the War Office is concerned, the negotiations will be conducted solely through the director of military operations and intelligence; and whether all agenda relating to a system of defensive contact with foreign armies will be confined to matters of strategic necessity?
Mr. COOPERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The agenda will be as stated in Section III of Command Paper No. 5134.
§ 47. Lieut. - Commander FLETCHERasked the Prime Minister whether he will give an assurance that the agenda for the staff conversations will be prepared by the Cabinet and not by the General Staff?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have already told the House that the Cabinet will keep careful watch on this matter.
§ Lieut.-Commander FLETCHERMay we rest assured that no British military secrets will be disclosed during these conversations?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI think that that is extremely unlikely, from what I know of our officers who will be in control.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLAre, then, secrets to be disclosed on one side and not on the other?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not really know what "secrets" means in this connection.