HC Deb 05 December 1960 vol 631 cc861-2
66. Mr. E. L. Mallalieu

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish a White Paper showing the main differences between the disarmament proposals of Her Majesty's Government and of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics both of which are directed towards rapid disarmament coupled with inspection and control.

Mr. Heath

No. Sir. The hon. and learned Gentleman will find all the relevant proposals for disarmament in Command Paper 1152 and the differences between them were carefully analysed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State in the debate on 26th July.

Mr. Mallalieu

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that both sides in the disarmament conference professed to want complete disarmament and both also claimed to be prepared to submit to supervision? Would it not, therefore, be to the advantage, of world public opinion at any rate, if the respects in which the Russians' claim is unfounded, according to Her Majesty's Government, were set out?

Mr. Heath

Her Majesty's Government are most anxious that the differences between the two plans should be clearly understood and they are already set out in a White Paper and were carefully explained by my right hon. Friend in his speech, which was fully reported. So all the information is available.

Mr. Mallalieu

Would the Lord Privy Seal agree that the form in which they are presented to the world is by no means clear and that it would be to the greatest advantage to have these points cleared up in public?

Mr. Heath

I quite agree, but I do not think that if is necessary to have a new White Paper to do that.