HC Deb 29 July 1959 vol 610 cc510-1

Mr. G. Brown (by Private Notice) asked the Minister of Defence whether he will give the terms of the Agreement made between the United Kingdom and the United States of America, which binds this country to a specific rocket or nuclear weapon policy, and for what period such an Agreement applies

The Minister of Defence (Mr. Duncan Sandys)

There are no such agreements apart from the Agreement of February, 1958, under which Her Majesty's Government undertook to deploy and man Thor rockets supplied by the United States. This arrangement is subject to revision by agreement at any time, and can be terminated by either party at the end of five years. In accordance with the normal procedure, the text of this Agreement (Command Paper 366) was laid before Parliament.

Mr. Brown

I thank the Minister for that reply, which confirms the position as we understood it, namely, that we would be free, in the light of changes, if there were any technical, political or international—to seek a revision of the Agreement. Can the Minister say why it should be reported in The Times and in other newspapers this morning that a Ministry of Defence spokesman, early this morning, said that these commitments—in connection with Thor rockets—are absolutely binding upon the next Government, whether it be Labour or Tory? Can he explain why it was necessary to issue such a statement? In view of the fact that the wording of the newspaper reports is so different from that of the Agreement and the announcement he has just made, what was the point of the whole operation?

Mr. Sandys

When people are asked questions by the Press they do not always answer in the most felicitous manner. I do not think that there was anything inaccurate in what was said. I think that the official concerned gave the policy in the terms of the Agreement, and that was that. I do not think that he intended to convey any other meaning. If the right hon. Gentleman is alarmed at the possibility of a Labour Government becoming responsible for these undertakings, I would remind him that they last only for five years, so I do not think there is much danger of that.

Mr. Brown

That is the whole point. The Minister always seems to have that up his sleeve, and that is what makes us feel that we have to check every statement by his Department against his own private announcements. I am prepared to believe that he was his better self in his earlier answer, and I will accept that.