§ 12. Mr. Healeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure that the decision for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces to use atomic weapons remains under political control.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydI would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 22nd December, 1954, after the Ministerial meeting of the North Atlantic Council in which he made it clear that the decision rests with Governments. There has been no change in that position.
§ Mr. HealeyIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that on 11th October The Times reported Field Marshal Lord Montgomery as saying :
Personally I would use them first and ask afterwardsand does he not agree that, whether this was a serious threat of insubordination or simply a piece of self-advertising buffoonery, it shows the Field Marshal to be quite unfit for the responsible post of Deputy Supreme Allied Commander?
§ Mr. LloydAs I have pointed out before, I have no responsibility for what the Field Marshal says. As the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Easing-on (Mr. Shinwell) also pointed out in his day, so far as the decision is concerned, the position is unaltered.
§ Mr. StokesWill the right hon. and learned Gentleman point out to the gallant Field Marshal that if he goes on saying this sort of thing he will be encouraging the five or six nations to which I have already made reference this afternoon who will, in a very short time, be making these horrible weapons, to act independently of any agreed policy anywhere and throw bombs all over the 620 place? Surely it is the height of irresponsibility that he should make such remarks?
§ Mr. LloydI think I had better stick to the realities of the situation. It is a political decision and it rests with Governments.