HC Deb 26 March 1956 vol 550 cc1774-5
57. Mr. A. Henderson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, what arrangements have been made to publish the disarmament plans put forward by the Governments represented on the United Nations Disarmament Sub-Committee.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

As I reminded the House on 19th March, the Disarmament Sub-Committee meets in private. Its report, together with the texts of the documents tabled, will I expect be published when the sub-committee reports to the Disarmament Commission.

Mr. Henderson

Does the reply of the Minister mean that each Government is being left to issue summarised hand-outs, and that we shall not get the text of the main proposals until the end of the conference?

Mr. Lloyd

As I have told the right hon. and learned Gentleman before, we are only one of the members of the Sub-Committee, and therefore we have to try to act in agreement with the others. Certainly I agree with him that it is necessary that, before the Disarmament Commission deals with this matter, these proposals should be made public.