HC Deb 28 July 1952 vol 504 cc1069-71
8. Mr. Wyatt

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will cause a White Paper to be published setting out the extent by which the armed forces of Hungary, Bulgaria and Roumania, now exceed those allowed to them under the peace treaties between those countries and Britain; the statements made by the British representive at the United Nations as to the size of the navies, air forces and armies of China, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Poland and Czechoslovakia, when putting forward the recent British proposals for international disarmament; and the reply of the Soviet Government to the British disarmament proposals.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

No, Sir. As the hon. Member for Enfield, East (Mr. Ernest Davies) stated on 25th July, 1951, the regular armed forces of Hungary, Bulgaria and Roumania considerably exceed the limits permitted under the Peace Treaties. I am not, however, in a position to give detailed figures.

As regards the second and third parts of the Question, the texts of the British representative's statement and the Soviet replies are available in the Library of the House in the verbatim record of the 12th and subsequent meetings of the Disarmament Commission.

Mr. Wyatt

Would it not be as well to put all this information together so that we may see in one document exactly what are the sizes of the armies, navies and air forces of the countries associated with Russia and China, against the fear of war from whom it is presumably that we are re-arming ourselves?

Mr. Lloyd

A White Paper was issued, dated 28th May, on the first Report of the work of the Disarmament Commission. That will certainly be followed up by another White Paper when it reaches the conclusion of its task before the meeting of the General Assembly, and I will consider whether any useful purpose would be served by the information for which the hon. Gentleman asks.

Mr. Shinwell

Why should there be any difficulty in giving information relating to the armed forces of the satellite countries, in view of the fact that there have been disclosures of the armed strength of Soviet Russia?

Mr. Lloyd

The right hon. Gentleman must be aware of certain reasons why it is not always possible to disclose such information, but in the statement of 25th July, 1951, certain figures were given and we have no reason to believe that the strength of these armed forces falls below the figures there given.

Mr. Wyatt

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that full information has already been given at one time or another about most of the countries mentioned in the Question? What I am asking is that it should all be collated and put into one document, so that we can see it all at once.

Mr. Lloyd

I certainly think that a useful purpose might be served by following that suggestion, and I will consider it when the next White Paper is compiled with regard to the work of the Disarmament Commission.

Mr. Ernest Davies

Since the statement of last July has there been any evidence of an increase in the size of these forces, and, if so, has any protest been made to the countries concerned?

Mr. Lloyd

I cannot answer the first half of that question with certainty.