HC Deb 13 June 1956 vol 554 cc560-2
16. Mr. Shinwell

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, following the atomic tests already announced, he will seek to reach agreement with the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the termination of similar tests by those countries and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Nutting

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 7th June, Her Majesty's Government will take every appropriate opportunity of discussing methods of regulating and limiting test explosions which take account of their position and that of other Powers.

Mr. Shinwell

But is not that a somewhat nebulous reply? Cannot we have a definite assurance that when the contemplated tests by Her Majesty's Government have been undertaken they will then decide quite definitely, so far as we are concerned, that we are not disposed to undertake any further tests, and make that well known to the U.S.S.R. and the United States?

Mr. Nutting

I do not know quite what the right hon. Gentleman is complaining about, because in March this year M. Moch, on behalf of France, and I, on behalf of the United Kingdom, gave effect to the proposal which the right hon. Gentleman makes in this very Question for the limitation and ultimately the prohibiton of test explosions, but that plan was rejected as inadequate by the representative of the Soviet Union.

Mr. E. Fletcher

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the Report published today by the Medical Research Council's Committee on the hazards to man of nuclear and allied radiation underlines the grave danger that mankind will suffer if there is any continuance of these nuclear tests?

Mr. Nutting

I will, of course, bear that in mind, and that is why we anticipated those conclusions in the plan which France and the United Kingdom launched in the Disarmament Sub-Committee, and I should have thought that the House would have given the Government some credit for that and for trying to get agreement on this question. So far, we have failed to get any reaction from the Soviet Union other than a negative one.

Mr. Bevan

Is it not a fact that the statement which the Medical Research Council issued to the Press this morning, when properly examined, gives rise to a real sense of alarm, because it is perfectly obvious that we have no way at all of measuring the consequences of what is now happening? Is it not a fact —and if it is not, the position should be made clear—that the Soviet Union has offered to make no further tests? If that is so, what is the response of the Government to the offer?

Mr. Nutting

The response of the Government to the offer was contained in the proposals which were launched in the Disarmament Sub-Committee, namely, to agree that, subject to a staged and phased programme, there should be prohibition of test explosions, but that those must be subject to effective international control. Whatever the conclusions which the right hon. Gentleman draws from the Report of the Medical Research Council may be, I would claim that it shows the urgency of trying to get agreement on this question in the United Nations, and that is precisely what the Government are engaged in doing, and what we will press at the meeting of the Disarmament Commission in July.

Mr. Bevan

But is it not now established that we have in this matter the one form of control which is effective, namely, that if any nation conducts a hydrogen or nuclear bomb test, it is known, and therefore are we not in the position of having some sort of reassurance in this field? If that is the case, ought we not to take advantage of it, and not go on frightening people all over the world by such tests?

Mr. Nutting

I do not think that the right hon. Gentleman is correct. It may be true that the very biggest tests are self-policed, or whatever the phrase has been, but it is also true that there are a number of test explosions which can take place without any detection.

Mr. Bevan

May I follow up that aspect again? [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] This is really not a satisfactory position. It may be the case that some small nuclear tests are not easily detectable, but those are the tests which do the least damage. We are concerned with those tests which cause radio-active consequences to man- kind all over the world. Will not the right hon. Gentleman ask his right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to take up the Soviet Union's offer in respect of the tests of large bombs?

Mr. Nutting

We have done so, and since the right hon. Gentleman has obviously not read the proposals which were launched in the Disarmament Sub-Committee, I would invite him to read them. He will see that they cover all kinds of tests, large or small.

Several Hon. Members

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. This is a very large subject. Mr. Younger.

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