§ 58. Mr. Platts-Millsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an undertaking that no further military commitments will be entered into until this House has had an opportunity of discussing such proposals.
§ Mr. MayhewNo, Sir. Formal commitments, whether military or otherwise, entered into by His Majesty's Government are normally laid before Parliament to provide an opportunity for the House to discuss them. I cannot, however, bind my right hon. Friend to such an undertaking, which is not required by any established constitutional practice.
§ Mr. Platts-MillsIf the practice up till now has been to enter into military commitments and only then to tell the nation, is it not time that the Foreign Secretary changed that practice in view of the threatening situation to which he has brought us?