HC Deb 15 February 1961 vol 634 cc1389-90
18. Mr. Milian

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many senior officials in the Foreign Office are engaged full time in the study of disarmament problems.

Mr. Ormsby Gore

In the Foreign Office the study of disarmament problems is dealt with by the Atomic Energy and Disarmament Department. the head of which is a senior official.

Mr. Millan

But that does not quite answer my Question. How many full-time senior officials are engaged on disarmament problems? Is it not a fact that there are very few officials so engaged? Is this not deplorable in view of the increasing prospects of a disarmament agreement and the very complex problems which will be involved in securing such an agreement? Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that a number of us feel that the whole question of disarmament should come out of the Foreign Office altogether and be put in charge of a separate senior Minister? Will he ask his right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal to make representations to the Prime Minister to that effect?

Mr. Ormsby Gore

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister answered Questions on the latter part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary yesterday. As for operations inside the Foreign Office, it depends on what the hon. Gentleman has in mind when referring to senior officials. There are officials in the Foreign Office whose entire duty to deal with disarmament matters, and there are many officials in Geneva. New York and elsewhere who also have it as their whole-time occupation.

Mr. Mayhew

Will the right hon. Gentleman explain, perhaps in the form of a Written Answer, exactly what the status and seniority of the officials concerned are? May there not be quite an advantage in building up inside the Government machine a strong vested interest in the success of disarmament?

Mr. Ormsby Gore

I assure the hon. Gentleman that there is a very strong vested interest in all Departments of the Government in disarmament.