§ Q1. Mr. P. Noel-Bakerasked the Prime Minister whether he will propose to the Prime Ministers of the other Commonwealth countries that a joint Commonwealth committee of scientists and other experts should be set up to prepare a detailed draft plan for a disarmament treaty, based on the principles 240 adopted by the Commonwealth Conference on 19th March, 1961.
§ The Prime MinisterThe United States disarmament plan calls for various expert groups to be set up under the International Disarmament Organisation. I think it will be best to continue to give our support to that plan, which follows the lines of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' statement on disarmament of March last.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerWould it not help the international committee if a Commonwealth committee were set up to put forward practical detailed plans as to how the principles can be carried out?
§ The Prime MinisterI will, of course, consider that, but I think that as we have this plan under consideration, the best thing is to support it and get the expert groups under it.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerMight I put it to the Prime Minister that it is now eight months since the Commonwealth declaration was made and that after the most assiduous questioning of him and other Ministers I cannot find out that the Government are doing anything in the way of practical preparation?
§ The Prime MinisterThe practical and very satisfactory thing is that the United States disarmament plan follows so closely the principles of the Commonwealth statement.