HC Deb 04 June 1962 vol 661 cc22-3
14. Commander Courtney

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of the changes which have taken place in Europe since 1954 and of the desirability of readjusting Great Britain's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation commitments without recourse to saving clauses, he will propose to the Foreign Ministers of the countries concerned a re-negotiation of the appropriate sections of the Brussels Treaty.

Mr. Heath

No, Sir.

Commander Courtney

Does my right hon. Friend feel that we can continue indefinitely to try to be a Continental military Power? Is not this matter very pressing in view of the strategic changes foreshadowed in the Defence White Paper, and is not it time that we took diplomatic initiative to forestall what is the inevitable consequence of events?

Mr. Heath

No, Sir. Her Majesty's Government intend to honour their commitments to Western European Union and to N.A.T.O.