HC Deb 22 October 1952 vol 505 cc1000-1
37. Mr. G. Jeger

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what military equipment and material has been supplied to Spain since the lifting of the export ban on such material.

Mr. Nutting

As I pointed out in the House on 15th October, only common-use material, that is, material which can be used for civilian or military purposes, is being sent to Spain. It is not specifically military material.

The following material has been supplied to Spain from the United Kingdom since July last: 14 aeropropellers—value £12,000; minor items of electronic equipment, radio crystals, etc.—to a value of approximately £1,000.

Mr. Jeger

If no items of definite military equipment are being sent to Spain, will the hon. Gentleman explain why it is necessary to make a gesture to Spain which has horrified the democratic world by suggesting that the ban on military equipment was going to be raised and that we were going to help to arm Fascists?

Mr. Nutting

It was never said that the ban on military equipment was going to be raised. What we said was that the ban on certain types of common-use material which we could not sell elsewhere was going to be raised. If the hon. Member misunderstood the situation that is not my fault.

Mr. Ernest Davies

Does not that reply indicate that the commercial gain from this change of policy is negligible and is out-weighed by the moral and political loss which results?

Mr. Nutting

It is far too early to make any such assessment of the economic value of this modification of our policy. But, as the hon. Member knows perfectly well, this is only a beginning. As I told him the other day, we have already licensed a contract for £500,000 worth of Merlin engines.

Mr. Davies

If this is only a beginning, does it mean that we are going to lift the ban completely on arms to Spain and depart from the policy pursued up to now?

Mr. Nutting

No. It will only apply to common-use materials, as I have informed the hon. Member on a number of occasions.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Would my hon. Friend not agree that the "horror of the democratic world" is nothing like as great over this as it was over the selling of jet engines to Russia?

Major Legge-Bourke

Would my hon. Friend not agree that if this is the policy pursued with regard to Spain in this matter, countries such as Yugoslavia and Spain should be treated equally in these matters?

Mr. Nutting

That is a very much wider matter. I have been asked a Question about Spain and would prefer not to deal with Yugoslavia in the same answer.