HC Deb 19 April 1956 vol 551 cc1177-9
57. Mr. Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that Egyptians are being rapidly trained in submarine warfare; and whether, in view of the supply of submarines and other instruments of war to Egypt, and of the recent attack from the air by Egypt on Israel, he will now enable Israel to acquire necessary defence weapons for her own protection.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Anthony Nutting)

Her Majesty's Government are aware of the training referred to in the first part of the Question. With regard to the second part of the Question, as has been repeatedly made clear in the House, deliveries of arms from the United Kingdom to Israel and her Arab neighbours are made in the light of the principles of the Tripartite Declaration. One of these principles is the right of self-defence.

Mr. Janner

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that that is an additional reason to the one to which I have already referred and which he now accepts as being a fact, for giving the opportunity to Israel to purchase defensive arms or weapons so that she may resist these attacks? Will he take into consideration the fact that Israel has constantly said that she does not want any one else to protect her, but wants to protect herself, and will he take some steps to meet that position?

Mr. Nutting

As my right hon. and learned Friend made plain yesterday, there is no current ban on the export of arms from the United Kingdom to Israel, and any applications for arms made by Israel are considered on their merits and measured against the obligations to which the Government are bound under the Tripartite Declaration.

Mr. Gaitskell

Will the right hon. Gentleman explain what he means by "on their merits"?

Mr. Nutting

On the merits and on the wisdom of delivering them.

Mr. Robens

In view of the fact that two submarines were promised under the Czech arms deal but have not yet been delivered, would the right hon. Gentleman suggest to the Prime Minister that he might take this opportunity of the talks with Marshal Bulganin and Mr. Khruschev of asking them about not delivering those submarines, as their delivery would introduce a new arm and type of warfare in that part of the world?

Mr. Nutting

My right hon. Friend has dealt in the House with what he will discuss with Marshal Bulganin, and it is not for me to go any further on that matter.

Mr. Robens

Will not the right hon. Gentleman consider making the specific point to the Prime Minister that the introduction of submarines into the Middle East will produce a new activity which will make a settlement very much more difficult? I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman to seize on this point. If it were possible for the submarines not to be delivered, that would be a great contribution to the pacification of that area.

Mr. Nutting

Of course, what the right hon. Gentleman asks me to convey I will convey to my right hon. Friend, but as to what is raised or not raised with the Soviet leaders is another matter, which has been dealt with by the Prime Minister, and I should prefer not to go further than what he has said.

Mr. Gaitskell

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that while that was dealt with by the Prime Minister it was dealt with by the Prime Minister's saying he was not going to say anything on the subject. While we appreciate his reticence in this matter, we shall take a very dim view of these talks unless we can be satisfied that the Government, in the course of them, have raised the whole question of arms to the Middle East from Russia as well as from this and other countries.