HC Deb 13 December 1961 vol 651 cc449-50
Sir L. Plummer

I beg to ask leave to move the adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9 for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the decision of Her Majesty's Government to conduct joint naval exercises in the Mediterranean with the Spanish Navy, without prior information being given to Parliament and contrary to the hitherto clearly expressed policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the Spanish Government, with its implicit acceptance of Spain as an ally of the free world. On the basis or urgency, Mr. Speaker, I point out that the naval exercises are taking place at this moment, and that it is the desire of a great number of my right hon. and hon. Friends that those exercises should be broken off forthwith. This matter, therefore, is one of urgency.

A few minutes ago, the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, in reply to me, said that the Royal Navy was conducting an exercise with naval forces of a country with whom this country had diplomatic relations and that these exercises were, therefore, normal and proper. I want to debate whether, in these circumstances, we will have naval exercises with the Soviet Union, Poland and other countries.

Mr. Speaker

Order. We cannot have speeches on these applications. The hon. Gentleman will understand that I will hear submissions about his application being in order but not about these other matters.

Sir L. Plummer

I was giving you the reasons, Mr. Speaker, why I was pressing this point of view. I am prepared to give them more fully if you will allow my plea.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Deptford (Sir L. Plummer) asks leave to move the adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, The decision of Her Majesty's Government to conduct joint naval exercises in the Mediterranean with the Spanish Navy, without prior information being given to Parliament and contrary to the hitherto clearly expressed policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the Spanish Government, with its implicit acceptance of Spain as an ally of the free world. I regret that I cannot accede to the hon. Gentleman's application. I understand that these manoeuvres began on Monday and are actually in progress. A decision, I am told, was announced by a naval officer at Gibraltar—I forget who it was—on Monday.