§ 21. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Lord Privy Seal whether in view of Mr. Krushchev's recent policy statement on behalf of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on a nuclear test agreement, it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government to conclude such an agreement without waiting for a general disarmament treaty.
§ Mr. HendersonWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the consensus of opinion among world scientists is that on-site inspections are relatively unimportant? Would not the Government give a lead to the Geneva Conference by proposing that the memorandum tabled by the neutrals on 17th April should be turned into a draft treaty and not used merely as a basis for discussion?
§ Mr. HeathIt is too early to form a conclusion about the first part of the right hon. and learned Gentleman's supplementary question. We have accepted the memorandum of the neutrals as a basis for negotiation.
§ Mr. HendersonWhat I was suggesting to the right hon. Gentleman was not that it should be used as a basis for discussion, but that the proposals should be turned into a draft treaty and that Her Majesty's Government should make themselves responsible for making that proposal.
§ Mr. HeathI think that I have already pointed out to the right hon. and learned Gentleman the weakness of the memorandum put forward by the neutrals—the method of on-site inspection—but we have accepted it as a basis for discussion in the conference.