HC Deb 08 February 1951 vol 483 cc1930-1
47. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore

asked the Prime Minister what number of jet aeroplanes, Centurion tanks and naval warships have been given or sold to Empire and foreign countries during 1950.

The Prime Minister

As regards jet aircraft and Centurion tanks, I would refer the hon. Member to replies given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence to Questions on 29th November, to which I have nothing to add. Eleven war vessels of various types were sold to Commonwealth and foreign countries during 1950.

Sir T. Moore

I think there is a point of order here. Mr. Speaker. The Prime Minister is adopting a practice which has been very often followed in the past by Ministers when they refer questioners to answers already given on a previous Question by another Minister. According to my information, Ministers have always got the copies in front of them, and, that being so, why should it not be possible for the Minister to give the previous answer so that the hon. Member asking the Question may be able to relate it to his specific Question straight away and frame a supplementary question?

Mr. Speaker

The hon. and gallant Member has been long enough in this House to realise that no point of order arises if he happens to be dissatisfied with an answer he gets from a Minister.

Sir T. Moore

I should not, perhaps, have called it a point of order, Mr. Speaker, but it has become an accepted tradition in the House during this Parliament for everything to be called a point of order, whether it is or not. However, J would like to ask the Prime Minister whether the Chiefs of Staff were consulted about these inexplicable transactions before they were carried through, and whether they approved?

The Prime Minister

The hon. and gallant Gentleman knows quite well that, in all matters, Ministers must take responsibility for decisions made. The responsibility is not passed on to the Chiefs of Staff. But, naturally in all these matters, full consideration is given to the views of professional advisers.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. and gallant Member said just now what I thought was one of the wisest things he has said for a long time, namely, that hon. Members are in the habit of saying, "On a point of order" when they want to ask a supplementary which is not a point of order. That was something well worth saying.

Mr. Martin Lindsay

In view of recent world events, does not the Prime Minister now agree that it was a most feckless piece of irresponsibility to have sold this valuable equipment overseas?

The Prime Minister

I do not know to what the hon. Member is referring.

Mr. Profumo

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us how much it will cost in dollars to replace with American aeroplanes the British ones which the Government permitted to be sold abroad? Can he work it out?