§ 46. Mr. Zilliacusasked the Prime Minister why he failed to insist on agreement with the German Chancellor about foreign policy before approving a contract to provide Germany with more arms.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI have been asked to reply.
It is not clear what contract the hon. Member has in mind. A number of contracts already exist for the supply of arms from this country, mainly by private firms, to the Federal German Government. For none of these contracts was the specific approval of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister required.
§ Mr. ZilliacusIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that £9 million worth of contracts, including, among other things, missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, have recently been approved and authorised for Western Germany? Will not the right hon. Gentleman take steps to dispel the impression that the Government, while stepping up and hair-triggering war preparations, are doing less than nothing to get on with the Summit Conference and negotiations for peace?
§ Mr. ButlerI cannot accept that aspect of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question. Regarding the situation about contracts from this country, the Answer I have given is correct. Regarding N.A.T.O., the answer is that the N.A.T.O. policy and the policy generally about nuclear warheads and so forth was set out by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary on 2nd December, 1958, in answer to the right hon. Member for Ebbw Vale (Mr. Bevan).