§ 46. Mr. Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that France has announced its intention of testing a hydrogen bomb; and, as Great Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union have ceased for some considerable time testing these weapons, and in view of the Government's policy of promoting a successful Summit Conference, if he will, in conjunction with the respective heads of these States, make an approach to President de Gaulle of France requesting that that country should also suspend their proposed test.
§ The Prime MinisterSo far as I am aware, there is no question of a French test of a hydrogen bomb in the near future.
§ Mr. LewisHas the Prime Minister not seen the reports in the Press? Are we to take it that he has received no information at all about any attempts on the part of the French to conduct nuclear and atomic tests?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I am answering the Question. I understand that there is no question of a French test of a hydrogen bomb character.
§ Mr. GaitskellIs the Prime Minister really saying that the French are not proposing to carry out a nuclear test in the near future? Instead of evading the Question on a technicality, would it not be better to deal with the real substance, which is extremely important?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. When I am asked a Question, I try to answer it. There is no question, so far as I know, of a hydrogen bomb test being carried out by the French Government.
§ Mr. GaitskellThen will the right hon. Gentleman answer my supplementary question, which is whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the French Government intend to carry out a nuclear test before long and whether he has had any discussions with the French Government about it?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not know quite what is the precise definition of a nuclear test. I was answering the Question on the Notice Paper. The right hon. Gentleman now asks a supplementary question—
§ Mr. HamiltonYou answer it.
§ The Prime MinisterI will answer any question when I am asked, without any encouragement from the jeers of the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. Hamilton). He has no reason to be offensive, and I will not be offensive with him. He cannot put me down even with his Scottish accent.
We discussed the point raised by the supplementary question in some detail in last night's debate. I think that our purpose should be first to get agreement for the stopping of tests between the three great countries which have been carrying on tests in the hydrogen field. After that, I think that our purpose should be to try to get other countries to accede, but I do not consider that at this time an approach on the lines suggested by the hon. Member would lead to a suspension of the proposed French test in the atomic field.
§ Mr. GaitskellHas the Prime Minister considered that it would be advisable for this matter to be discussed first during the talks at Geneva between the three major Powers? Have any such discussions taken place? Would it not be wise, in anticipation of the obvious dangerous repercussions of a French test on any international agreement in the matter, to take up this matter with the French Government?
§ The Prime MinisterThe first thing is to get the three Powers in the nuclear conference at Geneva to reach agreement. Those three Powers do not include the French Government. I fully agree, however, that this is a matter which we might well discuss at a meeting of what sometimes has been called the heads of the Western Governments, which, of course, would include the French Government.