HC Deb 08 July 1958 vol 591 cc198-201
47. Mr. G. Brown

asked the Prime Minister if he is yet in a position to make a statement on an agreement with the United States of America on the sharing of information about atomic weapons.

56. Mr. Bottomley

asked the Prime Minister in what way the sharing of atomic secrets with Commonwealth countries is limited by the new Anglo-American agreement.

The Prime Minister

The United States Congress has passed legislation amending the United States Atomic Energy Act, 1954, so as to permit more close and fruitful collaboration between Great Britain, the United States and other friendly countries. As a result it has now been possible to negotiate a new agreement between the United States and this country for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes. This agreement would supersede the agreement of June, 1955. The new agreement was signed on 3rd July. The text of it will be available as a White Paper this afternoon.

In accordance with the due processes in the United States the agreement has been laid before Congress; and it cannot become effective until it has lain for thirty sitting days.

In these circumstances I would prefer not to say anything at the moment about the practical results which may be expected after the agreement comes into effect. I will say only that the new agreement would cover the exchange of information necessary for the improvement of atomic weapon design development and fabrication capability, and also the purchase of one complete nuclear submarine propulsion plant.

Co-operation with other countries including Commonwealth countries is dealt with in Article VII of the Agreement.

Mr. Brown

In so far as this agreement will take us a step forward along the road to effective partnership, it would be churlish to withhold congratulations from the right hon. Gentleman on having played a part in it. But there seem to me to be three points which immediately arise. Of course, the agreement has been publicly available since yesterday, as a result of it being published on the other side of the Atlantic first.

I would put to the Prime Minister three points. One, as I understand it, is that the agreement to transfer information "know-how" and material is left to each party on each particular item. Is the Prime Minister quite sure that this will not lead to a situation where we have got rid, for example, of Calder Hall secrets and then, at a later stage, find that what we thought we were trading them for is held, at that stage, by the other party to the agreement to be not available? I should be glad if he would comment on that.

Secondly, I understand that any agreement on exchange of atomic weapons is completely and specifically ruled out. Does this mean that we are bound to go on duplicating American efforts, for example, in the realm of intermediate-range ballistic missiles? Would the Prime Minister like to comment on that? What seems to be the more important feature is specifically ruled out.

My last point is a procedural matter. The agreement refers, I understand, to fulfilling constitutional and statutory requirements in each country before it comes into effect. Would the Prime Minister tell us what is required here? Will this agreement lie before the House for twenty-one days, like a treaty, and does he propose to give us an opportunity of debating it before the Government finally ratify it? It would appear to be a very grave and serious agreement. I would ask the Prime Minister whether it is his intention to give us an opportunity to debate it before final ratification follows?

The Prime Minister

I did not want to interrupt the right hon. Gentleman, and I hope that he will not think me discourteous when I say that the agreement will be published as a White Paper this afternoon. I think that the House as a whole would like to acquaint itself with its terms, and I would venture to point out that the agreement, although made between two Governments, is not yet in force. Whether Congress will sit for thirty sitting days from 3rd July I cannot tell, and whether any action may be taken in those thirty days with regard to the agreement by Congress I cannot tell either. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will not think it discourteous if I am not willing to comment on these particular questions, at any rate at the moment. Perhaps I should say that there is still an important step to be taken before any of the advantages of the agreement can accrue to Great Britain.

Mr. Brown

The Prime Minister seems to answer as though we are simply the recipients of advantages here. We are ourselves contracting to share "know-how" and secrets which at the moment we have. I ask the Prime Minister frankly, why should it be that there is no undertaking to consult this House to provide us with an opportunity to discuss the matter within the period when the American Congress is allowed to discuss it? Why does the Prime Minister refuse to answer the point which I put to him—whether he would give us an opportunity to discuss our participation in this transfer agreement, as well as the American Congress?

The Prime Minister

There is a slightly different constitutional procedure in the two countries. Under the American system, it is a statutory procedure. Ours, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, has grown up under somewhat different conditions. I would ask him to relieve me from answering these questions this afternoon. There can be discussions between us as to whether in the period between now and the House rising it would be a good thing to have a discussion upon this subject. I only raised the point that there are some considerations which I hope the right hon. Gentleman will bear in mind in considering the advantages or disadvantages of that course.

Mr. Bottomley

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Commonwealth countries were consulted before the agreement was concluded?

The Prime Minister

Of course, we were in close touch with the Commonwealth countries, especially those particularly affected, all through the long negotiations which have led up to this agreement. The particular article which would answer the question of the right hon. Gentleman is Article VII.