HC Deb 12 December 1956 vol 562 cc414-5
18. Mr. G. Brown

asked the Minister of Defence what policy Her Majesty's Government intend to adopt at the meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Council to the proposal that the military responsibilities of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation should be extended.

Mr. Birch

I have been asked to reply. I am not aware of any such proposal.

Mr. Brown

But is not the Secretary of State aware—and if he is not aware of it he must be the only person who is not—that, at the N.A.T.O. Parliamentary Conference, there were repeated references by the French delegates to the need for a North African Command to take over responsibility for Algeria? Does not the Secretary of State think that he ought to be aware of what has been stated publicly at this conference?

Mr. Birch

I was referring to this in the context of the present N.A.T.O. meeting, where no such proposal is upon the agenda.