HC Deb 15 December 1958 vol 597 cc763-6
35. Mr. Delargy

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what authorisation he has given for the supply of rockets to the Government of Cuba.

Commander Noble

As my right hon. and learned Friend explained to the hon. Member on 19th November, the sale of seventeen Sea Fury aircraft to the Cuban Government was authorised some months ago. These aircraft are equipped to carry rockets and a normal complement for each aircraft was authorised in the usual way.

Mr. Delargy

Having already prized from the Foreign Secretary the terrible information that British tanks and planes are being used by the Cuban dictator to kill citizens of Cuba, may I now ask the right hon. and gallant Gentleman whether he is aware that at this moment there is a ship, the "Sarmiento," lying in a British port loaded with more than 100 tons of rockets to be dispatched at any moment to the Cuban dictator? Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman assure the House that this cargo will not leave these shores until, at the very least, the British Parliament has been given the fullest information about it, because so far this dirty deal has been done behind the backs of the British people and of Parliament.

Mr. Hale

And a very dirty deal indeed.

Commander Noble

I strongly resent the imputation in the hon. Member's question.

Mr. Hale

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Commander Noble

At the time the sales were approved there was no evidence that the insurgent elements in Cuba had more than a limited measure of support in some parts of the Eastern Provinces of Cuba. I will certainly look into what the hon. Gentleman said about a ship lying in a British port. My information is that all these missiles have been delivered.

Mr. Bevan

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman give an assurance that this ship will not be allowed to sail? We understood from the last reply given by the Foreign Secretary on this matter that his information would lead him to suppose—or rather he anticipated—that we ought not to send any further military help.

Commander Noble

As I have said, I will look into the matter, but I will give no such assurance.

Mr. Delargy

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am in some difficulty at this late period of the Session. This answer I consider quite unsatisfactory. You may recollect that in order to draw the attention of the House to this sad and sordid traffic in arms I endeavoured to speak on the subject during the series of Christmas Adjournment debates. You decided that certain questions, like Scottish horticulture, were much more grave and urgent than the shooting of Cuban citizens with British guns. Does not this throw a peculiar light on your commonsense and responsibility?

Hon. Members

Oh.

Mr. Speaker

Order. Naturally, the hon. Member is disappointed that his subject was not chosen for debate, but I cannot help that. I make the best selection I can of the most important subjects, and the hon. Member has no right whatever to cast imputations on the Chair.

Mr. Delargy

Further to that point of order. If any impartial persons considered the subjects you have chosen, my grave allegation would be justified.

Mr. Speaker

Order. If the hon. Member wishes to pursue that matter he must put down a Motion in the proper way.

Mr. Delargy

May I ask a question about the Motion? I am all in favour of putting down such a Motion. But since this Motion cannot now be discussed before the end of January, by which time, no doubt, hundreds more Cubans will have been killed, is not your advice frivolous?

Mr. Speaker

I meant that if the hon. Member disagrees with the way in which I perform my difficult task of selecting subjects for the Adjournment debates and wishes to criticise the Chair he must do so by putting down a Motion—

Mr. Delargy

It cannot be debated in time.

Mr. Speaker

—and not do so now.

Mr. Hale

On a point of order. Would it be in order to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the failure of Her Majesty's Government to give an assurance that no further weapons will be exported from this country to support the establishment of a dictatorship in Cuba?

Mr. Speaker

That would not be within the Standing Order.

Mr. Hale

This is the first occasion in the history of this House when Mr. Speaker has given a Ruling of that kind without giving some reason for it.

Hon. Members

Order.

Mr. Hale

I am in order and I raised a point of order to call attention to the fact, which I assert to be true, that never before in the history of this House has an application to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No 9—

Mr. Speaker

I would point out to the hon. Member that this is not the time to make proposals for raising matters under Standing Order No. 9. He should wait until the end of Questions.

Mr. Hale

It was my intention when I rose to move a Motion at 3.30 and to ask whether it would be in order to do so at 3.30.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Gentleman cannot do it now.