§ 47. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government would be willing to participate in a solemn undertaking jointly with the Governments of the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics not to supply any other Government or country with nuclear bombs or warheads.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI have been asked to reply.
Two points in the four-Power disarmament proposals already put to the Soviet Union are that the production of fissile materials for weapons should be stopped and that, thereafter, each party should give an undertaking not to transfer out of its control any nuclear weapons or to accept transfer of such weapons to it, except under arrangements whereby their use would be limited to defence against armed attack.
§ Mr. HendersonPending the outcome of any negotiations on disarmament, which may take a considerable time in view of past history, would not the acting Prime Minister agree that steps should be taken now to prevent the hawking of these nuclear bombs round the world? Would he at least agree that this proposal should be placed on the agenda of the proposed Summit Conference?
§ Mr. ButlerIn so far as it is included In our disarmament proposals—reference to two of which I made in my original Answer—I should like to say that we are fully aware of the dangers that might 512 result from the widespread manufacture and possession of nuclear weapons of any type. At the same time, we must be careful not to enter into commitments which may weaken the defence of the free world. I would sum up by saying that, up to date, the Government have not made any decision to supply nuclear weapons to other countries.