HC Deb 10 December 1946 vol 431 cc969-70
45. Mr. Zilliacus

asked the Prime Minister what stage has been reached in the discussions for the standardisation of British air, land, naval weapons and munitions to fixed U.S. sizes and patterns that were initiated by him, in pursuance of views expressed by the Canadian Prime Minister at the Empire Conference last April through the Anglo-American Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee; and whether any measures are in contemplation for the standardisation of training manuals, exchange of officers and joint use of naval and air bases by the U.S.A. and the British Commonwealth and Empire.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply made yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council to the hon. Member for Mile End (Mr. Piratin), and to the remarks I made in my speech in the Debate on the Address on 18th November. The principles there outlined are those which govern the policy of the Government in these matters. The only point I would add is that the statement in the first half of the Question as to the views expressed by the Canadian Prime Minister in April is without foundation.

Mr. Zilliacus

In view of the failure of the Prime Minister to answer the last part of the Question, either on 18th November or through the Leader of the House yesterday, would my right hon. Friend, in view of the rising disquiet on both sides of the Atlantic as to the present situation take a further opportunity of making a full statement on the nature and extent of the Anglo-American military conversations?

The Prime Minister

I do not think there is any apprehension, except that I gather the Questions asked by the hon. Member are apt to cause apprehension in some quarters. I thought that my statement on the Address dealt very fully with the whole question.

Mr. Hogg

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that had standardisation been achieved in 1940 our enemies might have been discomfited?

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member is not asking for information. That is surely a purely hypothetical question.

Mr. Anthony Greenwood

Will the right hon. Gentleman tell the House with what pleasure he would welcome any indication that other foreign Powers are prepared to be as internationally minded as America?

The Prime Minister

If the hon. Member had followed what I said in the Debate on the Address, he would have seen that I would welcome it.

Mr. Piratin

Would the Prime Minister, now that he is able to answer the question himself, as was not the case yesterday, give the House a categorical answer to the question as to whether Field-Marshal Montgomery, when he was in the United States during the summer, did not discuss questions of standardisation on a much wider basis than that of our necessary Forces in Germany?

Mr. Speaker

That does not seem to me connected with the Question on the Order Paper.

Mr. Ronald Chamberlain

In view of our 20 years Treaty with Russia, can the Prime Minister say whether we are having parallel conversations with that country?

The Prime Minister

We should welcome any such conversations with Russia, but we have not been very successful in getting any from that side

Mr. Hogg

Could the right hon. Gentleman say what possible advantage could accrue from an arbitrary refusal to standardise to any but the potential enemies of this country?