§ 55. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Prime Minister in view of the suspension of the London Disarmament Conference, if he will consider offering to suspend the forthcoming series of hydrogen bomb explosions at Christmas Island for as long as other nations suspend theirs, in order to stop the nuclear arms race and a further increase in radioactivity.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. The Government have made it clear that they could only agree to a complete suspension of nuclear weapons tests in return for the security promised by a disarmament agrement.
§ Mr. AllaunIs not it clear that the traditional methods of attempting to secure disarmament have failed and that a generation of conferences has not managed to secure agreement on a single point and that, therefore, disarmament by example is the only way out of the nuclear arms race?
§ The Prime MinisterI am sure that the hon. Member will recognise that what he has said raises very large questions of policy. I have some difficulty from time to time in knowing quite what is the policy of the Opposition on this matter, but I certainly agree that it is not wise to send the Foreign Secretary naked into the council chamber—I think that was the expression.