§ 47. Mr. Warbeyasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the official Soviet announcement of a unilateral cut in armed forces, he will now propose to President Eisenhower, Marshal Bulganin and M. Mollet the holding of a high-level conference to remove the remaining obstacles to the conclusion of a treaty providing for a substantial degree of universal controlled disarmament.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. The report of the United Nations Sub-Committee on the latest series of meetings at Lancaster House will be considered shortly by the Twelve-Power Disarmament Commission, on which the Governments of the United Kingdom, United States, Soviet Union and France are represented. Her Majesty's Government favour full and proper use of this machinery which was specially created by the United Nations General Assembly to seek a solution of the disarmament problem.
§ Mr. WarbeyWhilst everybody must welcome unilateral arms cuts, especially if they are reciprocated, would the Prime Minister agree that it is far better to get agreed, inspected. controlled disarmament, and as the only serious obstacle to reaching agreement on conventional disarmament is the veto imposed by Dr. Adenauer, would not the Prime Minister take a personal initiative to overcome the deadlock?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not think I can accept what the hon. Gentleman has said. I am not aware of any veto issued by the German Chancellor on disarmament. On the other hand, I think we all accept that if we are to make progress in disarmament beyond a certain point, we have to get some relaxation of political tension at the same time.
§ Mr. A. HendersonIs any attempt being made, through diplomatic discussions between the Prime Minister and the other heads of the four Governments concerned, to end the present disarmament deadlock?
§ The Prime MinisterThe right hon. and learned Gentleman knows well that this Commission has to meet, and naturally we have ourselves been considering what constructive proposals we can make. I would rather not go further than that at the moment.
§ Mr. BellengerIrrespective of any agreement between the various nations for control of disarmament, can the Prime Minister inform the House whether this radical reduction in Russia's conventional armaments will have any effect on the plans of Her Majesty's Government in this respect?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that question should be put to the Minister of Defence. Of course we have reduced our armaments considerably, and are still doing so, and we welcome the Russian reduction. If it so happens that everybody catches this habit, we shall have no objection, but I think we are entitled to say that we were the first to start it..