HC Deb 29 June 1960 vol 625 cc1363-4
8. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will invite the nations whose representatives were to have joined him in the abortive summit meeting to join him in an investigation into the respective manufacturers who profit by war and by preparations for war, with a view to those nations joining in international control of such manufacturers.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

No, Sir. The scale and nature of arms production is controlled not by the manufacturers but by orders from Governments. The first essential is therefore to obtain an international disarmament agreement between Governments, as we have been trying to do.

Mr. Hughes

Is it not a fact that the efforts of the Government, in conjunction with other Governments, up to the present to ascertain and control the causes of war have failed? Does the Minister agree that the suggestion contained in my Question strikes at one of the root causes of war, and offers a means of controlling and preventing future wars? Will he, therefore, reconsider his Answer and adopt the suggestion?

Mr. Lloyd

I think that is an old-fashioned idea. I think it is nowadays the Governments, not the arms manufacturers.