HC Deb 02 June 1960 vol 624 cc1634-7
44. Mrs. Hart

asked the Prime Minister what information was given to him by President Eisenhower of the American intention to send a combat readiness alert to its forces in the United Kingdom on the eve of the Summit Conference; how many American planes were sent into the air from bases in this country; and how many British planes were similarly alerted.

45. Mr. Warbey

asked the Prime Mi nister whether he will seek an assurance from President Eisenhower that no combat readiness alert or other order preliminary to belligerent action will be given to the United States forces stationed in this country without the prior approval of the British Government.

Mr. R. A. Butler

I have been asked to reply.

As has often been explained to the House, the use in emergency of bases in this country by United States forces will be subject to joint decision by the United Kingdom and United States Governments. As I said on 30th May in answer to the hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Warbey), the recent alert was a routine test of the efficiency of United States communications, and there was accordingly no need for consultation between the President and my right hon. Friend. I understand that no extra flying resulted from this test. The Royal Air Force did not take part or carry out any similar exercise of its own at the time.

We see no reason for altering the terms of the agreement reached with the United States Government by the noble Lord, Lord Attlee, and confirmed by subsequent Prime Ministers.

Mrs. Hart

While accepting that the incident was described by the American Government as a normal alert, does the Home Secretary not agree that its timing immediately before the Summit Conference was a highly provocative action and likely to do untold damage to the progress of international relations? Does he not agree that, in these circumstances, the failure at least to notify the Prime Minister of this country that such an alert was to take place was appalling and shocking? Will he take note of the desire of many Members of this House that, in future, information should be given to the Prime Minister of Britain when bases in this country are involved in an act of this kind, so that the objections of the British Government may be made known to the Americans?

Mr. Butler

No, Sir. The answer to the first part of the hon. Lady's question is that that is a matter of judgment. It is a matter upon which I do not wish to comment further. In answer to the latter part of her question, I do not think we should alter the arrangement as it exists. I have said that any use of the bases in emergency is a matter for joint decision, but I do not think that we can interfere with what I have described as a routine test of the efficiency of the United States communications, nor do I expect or wish that the United States Government or authorities should interfere with any such arrangements which might be made by the Royal Air Force.

Mr. Warbey

If these tests are routine, does not that imply that they may be a frequent occurrence? Has it occurred to the Government that, whatever happened on this occasion, on future occasions the American Air Force might set off in the direction of the Soviet frontiers loaded, possibly, with hydrogen bombs and that this could lead to all kinds of dangerous consequences? Do the Government seriously mean that they do not know and they do not care when this kind of thing happens and that they have no means whatever of preventing it from taking place?

Mr. Butler

Of course, we care fundamentally, and so did the Government of right hon. and hon. Members opposite care fundamentally when they made the initial agreement, which was that no use of these bases in an emergency should be made without a joint decision of the two Governments. We cannot let this govern ordinary routine practice, exercises or tests, and we would not expect reciprocity in that sense.

Mr. Gaitskell

Is the Home Secretary aware that while we are not discussing this afternoon the question of the original agreement, some of us are rather concerned about the way in which it is implemented in connection with these alerts? How frequently do they take place? Do they sometimes involve aircraft leaving the ground with bombs? If this was merely a routine alert, why was so much publicity given to it just at that moment?

Mr. Butler

As I said on the question of the timing and the occasion of the alert, it is a matter for judgment whether the resulting situation gave confidence or lack of confidence. I cannot add anything to my original answer, because I cannot give the internal arrangements of the United States Air Force in relation to tests of this nature of the efficiency of their forces

Mr. Gaitskell

What we are concerned with is whether Her Majesty's Government are consulted on these occasions or whether, if they are not consulted, they should not make some kind of protest about it. While we recognise that it may be necessary to have alerts from time to time, the right hon. Gentleman would help the House if he could be a little more frank about exactly what takes place. Would it not be a good plan that, in any event, if aircraft leave the ground Her Majesty's Government should first be consulted in the event of an alert of this sort? In addition, if publicity is to be given, surely they should be consulted beforehand.

Mr. Butler

I think it would be an extension of the agreement which was never foreseen that there should be prior consultation before tactical exercises of this sort, particularly as on this occasion no extra flying was involved. On the question of carrying hydrogen bombs, I cannot add to the many answers which have been given by my right hon. Friend and myself on this subject. It is a very serious one on which there has been no change at all.

Mr. Rankin

The right hon. Gentleman said that this alert was a routine test. When did he discover that? Did he know it was a routine test before it took place or after it took place?

Mr. Butler

I said in my original Answer that there was no prior consultation.

Mrs. Hart

Would the Home Secretary not agree that when circumstances are such as they were on the occasion of this alert, the alert in itself could constitute an emergency? Would he, therefore, convey to his right hon. Gentleman the desire of some of us that negotiations on this agreement should be reopened, in particular at least concerning the possibility of consultation about alerts when international negotiation is under way?

Mr. Butler

The very fact that this serious interchange is taking place on the Floor of the House of Commons will not have escaped, I expect, the attention of the Administration chiefly concerned, and if this is the case perhaps some good will have been done.