§ 27. Mr. Brockwayasked the Lord Privy Seal which delegations at the United Nations General Assembly on 7th April voted in favour of the resolution condemning apartheid in South West Africa, which voted against and which abstained; and how the British delegation voted.
§ Mr. HeathI presume the hon. Gentleman is referring to the resolution adopted on 7th April on the recommendation of the Fourth Committee. The substance of the resolution concerns implementation of the Mandate by the Union Government and the refusal of the Union Government to permit the United Nations Committee on South West Africa to visit the mandated territory in order to investigate the situation there. Eighty-three members voted in favour, none voted against and nine—including the United Kingdom—abstained. The hon. Gentleman will find details of the voting in Document A/PV 979 which is in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. BrockwayIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the indignation which will be felt by many people in this country that the United Kingdom representative should have abstained on this resolution, particularly when before the meeting of the United Nations the House of Commons voted, without dissent, a resolution urging that the terms of the United Nations proposal should be supported by the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. HeathWe have often debated this question of the Motion which was before the House last December. We again explained our reasons for thinking that the United Nations resolution went beyond the powers of the United Nations over the mandate. Our second reason was that this question had been referred to the International Court.