§ 31. Mr. Youngerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give an assurance that the provisions of the Paris Treaties relating to the manufacture of nuclear weapons in Germany and their use by German forces still represent Her Majesty's Government's policy on this subject, and that no proposal for a change will be implemented before Parliament has had an opportunity to discuss it.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydI can certainly assure the right hon. Member that Her Majesty's Government stand by the provisions of the Paris Agreements relating to nuclear weapons. As regards the second part of this Question, any changes in the Paris Agreements would naturally be subject to the usual constitutional processes.
§ Mr. YoungerWhile thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask him 1913 whether he is aware that it has been widely commented that the protest recently made by German scientists would not have been made had they not been afraid that they would be called upon to co-operate in the manufacture of nuclear weapons, which would be contrary to the treaties? Is he further aware that if anything of this kind were connived at surreptitiously, it would have a very bad effect indeed on public confidence?
§ Mr. LloydI quite agree. I sought to find out any possible basis for that misconception, and I am quite satisfied, in fact, that this idea has not been put forward.
§ Mr. BellengerHas the Foreign Secretary noticed that one of these scientists has stated that no approach has been made to any of the German nuclear scientists on the lines suggested in the Question?