HC Deb 14 October 1952 vol 505 cc26-8
48. Mr. Hale

asked the Prime Minister the nature of the requests made by the Government to the Australian, New Zealand, or United States Governments for participation of British representatives in the Pacific Defence Pact meetings; and what replies were received.

The Prime Minister

The communications which have passed between Her Majesty's Government and the other Governments concerned are confidential. But the House will be aware from public statements that the Governments of Australia, New Zealand and the United States, the three signatories of the Treaty of 1951, considered at the first meeting of the A.N.Z.U.S. Council in August a request by Her Majesty's Government for the association of the United Kingdom with the Council and other organisations established under the Treaty. The three Governments then took the view that they would prefer to postpone for the present further consideration of any formal arrangements for this purpose. Here matters rest for the present.

Mr. Hale

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the meekness and timidity with which he appears to acquiesce in this rebuff conflicts strangely with his philosophy on the election platform? Will he tell the House what will be the position of a British naval unit operating in the Pacific waters vis-à-vis a U.S.-Australasian command of whose operational directives they have no cognisance?

The Prime Minister

I thought I had made it quite clear that we have made our representations to the Governments concerned, and I am not yet in a position to announce any results.

Mr. J. Hynd

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it has been widely stated in the Press that the reason for this action is that the United States do not wish to be implicated in the defence of Malaya and Singapore, and will he confirm or deny these statements?

The Prime Minister

I do not see why I should confirm or deny a statement of a general character of that kind.

Mr. Paget

Is not this great lack of consideration shown to the obvious interests of this country the result of the meekness which the present Government have shown in their attitude to the Americans? The late Government was not treated like this by the Americans.

The Prime Minister

The late Government had publicly accepted the position that the United Kingdom Government could not be a party to the Anzus Treaty. They had not considered at the time of the change of Government whether, or if so how, the United Kingdom might be associated with the working of any machinery set up under the Treaty. This question had not then become a practical one, and the Treaty was not signed until September, 1951. The Labour Government had noted Article 8 of the Treaty which enables special relationships to be developed between the Treaty machinery and the other States.

It seems to me that this matter will not be advanced favourably at this time with our fellow members of the Commonwealth by vehement expressions of opinion in this House. We inherited a certain situation, and I have never concealed the fact that I regret the solution which has now for the present been reached.

Mr. H. Morrison

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that what he has been saying to the House is substantially what was stated by the Labour Government when this Treaty was made, and for which we were denounced by the present Foreign Secretary and other Members of the then Opposition? Are we to take it that on this and other matters the Prime Minister now gives the answer that the Government are merely following in the steps of the Labour Government which they denounced at the time?

The Prime Minister

Of course, it is one thing to do harm and another thing to get it undone.

Mr. S. Silverman

Would the right hon. Gentleman explain to the House why he considers that the communications which have passed between this Government, the Dominion Governments and the United States Government are not matters which ought to be communicated to the public? Why are the people of this country not entitled to know what has taken place in this matter and what has passed between the Governments? Will he not consider publishing these dispatches as a White Paper or making them available in some other form?

The Prime Minister

I never heard of the demand that all communications passing between us and Commonwealth Governments or foreign Governments ought necessarily to be laid before the House. That never has occurred in any former time until this afternoon. I should not like to make a change at this moment of such far-reaching consequence. It would be a great mistake to interfere with the freedom of communications which take place. I am quite sure of this, that we should do well not to press this matter because the representatives of the Dominions are coming over here; we shall have opportunities of discussing these matters with them personally, and also the situation in the United States will be more clarified after a little time.