HC Deb 15 May 1958 vol 588 cc609-10
45. Mr. Emrys Hughes

asked the Prime Minister to what extent the speech of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the international situation, delivered at Cambridge on 3rd May, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)

I have read my right hon. Friend's speech. It seems to have been very good, and there is nothing in it from which I would dissent.

Mr. Hughes

As the speech seemed to the Prime Minister to be very good, how does the right hon. Gentleman explain that no report was available in The Times in the Library? Is he aware that the argument of the Chancellor was that we should never be the first to drop the H-bomb? Is that the view of the Government, and if we are not to be the first to drop the H-bomb, shall we be in a position to retaliate afterwards?

The Prime Minister

What my right hon. Friend said was that we have no aggressive intent against Soviet Russia; we shall never be the first to attack.