HC Deb 02 June 1954 vol 528 cc1252-3
3. Mr. Fenner Brockway

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what instructions have been given to the British delegation to the United Nations Assembly in respect of the plea made to the United Nations from the Marshall Islands that no further atom or hydrogen bomb experiments should take place in their area.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

Until the formal observations of the United States Government have been received and circulated by the United Nations Secretariat, the Trusteeship Council will not consider the petition. At the present stage therefore it is too early to instruct the United Kingdom representative on this issue.

Mr. Brockway

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the Marshall Islands are 280 miles away from the scene of the explosion and yet have been affected by radio-active dust? In view of this danger to populations miles from the explosion of the hydrogen bomb, will he, in order to save human life, do his utmost to prevent further experiments until they can be controlled?

Mr. Lloyd

I think that before I make any comment on that we had better see the formal observations of the United States Government about this incident.