§ 51. Mr. Wyattasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his discussions on defence matters with the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia, with particular reference to the ANZUS Defence Pact.
§ The Prime MinisterI have no statement to make on this question at the present time.
§ Mr. WyattThe Prime Minister has been giving the same answer to this question for the last 18 months. Is he aware that he told the House before the Commonwealth Conference met that he was going to discuss the matter at the Conference and would then have something to tell us about it? Has he not yet found out from talking to the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia whether they want us in the ANZUS Defence Pact? Cannot he tell us anything about it?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I have no statement to make in the subject at the present time.
§ Mr. ShinwellWill the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to say—hon. Members are obviously interested in the matter—whether the Commonwealth countries are making a satisfactory contribution to Commonwealth defence?
§ The Prime MinisterWhether they are making a satisfactory contribution is a different question. The hon. Gentleman who put down the Question knows it is entirely irrelevant. I could not be a party to leading the House astray.
§ Mr. ShinwellI am sure the right hon. Gentleman never leads the House astray, but is he aware that in the Question reference is made to some aspects of Commonwealth defence? Surely he can say whether he is satisfied with the contribution made.
§ The Prime MinisterI always think it is a wonderful thing that these great Dominions over whom we have no authority of any kind have at every stage in our fortunes in these tragic years sprung forward in the common cause, and I am certainly not going to attempt to appraise the relative merits of their various contributions in time of peace. I am sure that our position in the world is maintained by our close and happy relations with them.
§ Mr. WyattDoes the Prime Minister mean that he has now dropped all his inquiries into the relationship between ourselves and the ANZUS Defence Pact and that we are never going to hear any more about the matter in the House?
§ The Prime MinisterI can really reassure the hon. Gentleman upon that subject. I have the greatest interest in it. I did not like the ANZUS Pact at all. We did not have an entirely clean sheet on the matter when we took over power. I did not like it at all, and I am greatly in hopes that perhaps larger, wider arrangements may be made which will be more satisfactory than those which are at present in force. But, as I say, it is not a matter where one can give directions. One has to endeavour to use influence and allow time to work.