§ 48. Mr. CHURCHILLasked the Prime Minister whether his statement of 11th March, 1935, upon the subject of the escalator Clause as applied to British cruiser tonnage, still holds good?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe statement referred to by the right hon. Gentleman was part of a speech on the general question of defence, and was not intended to be an exhaustive or final declaration of our position in regard to the London Naval Treaty limits. In particular, the use of the words "light cruisers" may have caused some misapprehension. The reference was to a type of vessels which are classified by the French as destroyer leaders, and up to 18 months ago were generally referred to as such, but which are now classified as "cruisers" in the United Kingdom publication entitled "Fleets." A[...] the right hon. Gentleman is aware, we believe we have a. clear case for increasing; the destroyer tonnage 379 allocated to us under the London Naval Treaty, and we are already in negotiation on this subject with the foreign Governments concerned. The right hon. Gentleman will also observe that I was careful not to state on 11th March of last year that we considered we had the right to increase in cruiser tonnage. Subject to this supplementary explanation, my statement of 11th March, 1935, holds good.
Mr. ALEXANDERHave not the right hon. Gentleman's Government already announced that they have a programme of 70 cruisers in substitution for 50, including 10 over-age cruisers? Why do they intend to scrap existing cruisers and waste money, instead of keeping them?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat matter can be, and of course will be, debated on the Report stage of the Navy Vote.
§ 55. Mr. CHURCHILLasked the Minister for Co-ordination of Defence what is the authoritative tribunal for settling whether the legal construction of the 1931 London Treaty makes it necessary for Great Britain to destroy five serviceable cruisers before the end of the present calendar year?
§ The MINISTER for the CO-ORDINATION of DEFENCE (Sir Thomas Inskip)There is no tribunal for deciding whether a party to Part III of the London Naval Treaty is entitled to have recourse to Article 21 for the purpose of increasing its tonnage beyond the limits fixed by the Treaty. This is left to the judgment and good faith of the Governments concerned.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLWho, then, advises the Government as to exactly within what limits their good faith lies in the proper interpretation of the Treaty?
§ Sir T. INSKIPOn purely legal questions the Government have the advantage of the advice of the Law Officers of the Crown.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIs not this a question par excellence where the right hon. Gentleman would be able to give them advice?
§ Sir T. INSKIPIf my advice is worth anything, it is always at the disposal of the Government.