HC Deb 14 May 1956 vol 552 cc1633-5
17. Mr. Shinwell

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the discussions at the meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; and what reassessment there has been of the military position.

Mr. Nutting

As is customary, this meeting was attended by Foreign Ministers only and was concerned primarily with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's non-military activities. Nevertheless, the Council noted that Soviet military power continues to increase and agreed that the Alliance must continue to give priority to the maintenance of their unity and strength.

Mr. Shinwell

As we were recently informed by the right hon. Gentleman that in the discussion there would be some military reassessment of the position of N.A.T.O., can he say whether any consideration was given to the excessive contribution made by the United Kingdom compared with the contributions made by other countries, equally involved, particularly on the Continent? Is there no prospect of a reduction in our defence expenditure as a result of the co-ordination of the activities of N.A.T.O.?

Mr. Nutting

The right hon. Gentleman had better put the question about a reduction of defence expenditure to the Minister of Defence. As I have informed him, this meeting was not concerned primarily with defence matters but, as is customary and was customary in the right hon. Gentleman's day, was concerned with the non-military activities of N.A.T.O.

Mr. Shinwell

Surely the right hon. Gentleman is wrong. It was customary to discuss military matters when the N.A.T.O. Council met, and we are led to believe that military matters were under discussion when the N.A.T.O. Council met recently. May we not have some indication of how far we were affected by those discussions? Is there an upward or downward trend in expenditure?

Mr. Nutting

The right hon. Gentleman asked me a question about reviewing defence expenditure. It was customary in his day, and it is certainly customary today, for the review of the Budget of the N.A.T.O. nations to take place at the December meeting and not at the meeting in the spring.

Mr. Wigg

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that those of us from this House and from another place who met the Secretary-General last Friday were depressed to find out the poor shape into which the N.A.T.O. organisation has fallen?

Mr. Younger

Am I correct in thinking that there has been no public statement of the attitude of N.A.T.O. to its military commitments for about a year, and that whereas in the Defence White Papers issued by the Government in two successive years there was a very noticeable change of attitude to the military requirements for the defence of Europe, there has been no corresponding change in N.A.T.O.? Is he aware that the public are worried about this and feel that no strategic thinking is going on in N.A.T.O.?

Mr. Nutting

That is quite untrue; it is a popular misconception, if it exists. Speaking off the cuff, my recollection is that an appreciation of this kind was made after the annual review meeting of N.A.T.O. last December.

22. Mr. Emrys Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proposals he made at the recent meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation for the purpose of reducing expenditure.

Mr. Nutting

So far as military expenditure was concerned no specific reductions were proposed. As the hon. Gentleman knows, the military contributions of N.A.T.O. countries are reviewed at the December meeting of the N.A.T.O. Council. The recent meeting was concerned primarily with the non-military aspects of the North Atlantic Treaty.

Mr. Hughes

In view of the heavy burden of Government expenditure, why did we not make specific proposals for a reduction of this amount? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that on Wednesday last, at Aachen in Germany, the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Woodford (Sir W. Churchill) said that the time had come to stop violence and he made certain proposals about bringing Russia into N.A.T.O.? Did the right hon. Member for Woodford speak for the Government, or are the Government to wander on with their negative policy?

Mr. Nutting

So far as stopping violence is concerned, her Majesty's Government have never engaged in it. [HON. MEMBERS: "Cyprus".] So far as the reduction of the defence budgets is concerned, the hon. Gentleman will have read the N.A.T.O. communiqué which drew attention to the fact that Soviet military strength continues to increase.