§ 45. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister whether the speech by the Home Secretary, made at King's Lynn on 27th June, on the question of the hydrogen bomb, represented the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department and Lord Privy Seal (Mr. R. A. Butler)I have been asked to reply.
Yes, Sir.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Home Secretary aware that we are very glad that he is more in accord with his Cabinet colleagues than he was at the time of Suez, when he said that we must be strong and be able to speak from an independent position? Is not that an argument that General de Gaulle, Nasser and a large number of other spokesmen of the nations could use for their possession of atomic weapons? Does the right hon. Gentleman think that the world would be safer if a very large number of other people adopted the same arguments?
§ Mr. ButlerNo, Sir. Her Majesty's Government would not welcome the indiscriminate spreading of the capacity to produce nuclear weapons. We think that this can best be avoided through comprehensive disarmament.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonWill my right hon. Friend, any hon. Member opposite or anyone else tell us whether the recent joint declaration on the subject by the party opposite represents the policy of the Labour Party?