HC Deb 28 May 1962 vol 660 cc964-5
28. Mr. P. Noel-Baker

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement about the latest developments in the Committee of Eighteen Nations on Disarmament, which is now sitting in Geneva.

The Minister of State (Mr. J. B. Godber)

Debates in the Conference on general and complete disarmament have recently centred mainly on Stage I measures in both United States and Soviet proposals. Discussion has been of a general nature designed to establish clearly what is involved in the related parts of the two plans.

Discussion on nuclear testing has continued in the Sub-Committee and also in Plenary Meetings, based mainly on the Memorandum by eight neutral Governments represented on the Committee. The Soviet Government still refuse to agree to the principle that there shall be an obligation to accept international verification of doubtful events.

In the Committee of the whole dealing with interim measures the United States and Soviet delegations have now submitted an agreed text on the subject of War Propaganda.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Is the Minister aware that he has now spent ten weeks in the work of the Committee in Geneva and that the Government have not yet given us the text of the Russian and American proposals to which he has referred? It is therefore impossible for hon. Members to understand the point which the hon. Gentleman is making now or to follow what the Committee is doing.

Mr. Godber

I am well aware that we have been there ten weeks—that is very much on my mind. As to the particular draft proposals, I thought that they had been placed in the Library; if not, I am sorry and I will see that they are put there.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Of course, they have been placed in the Library, but it is quite useless to hon. Members to have a copy placed in the Library which they cannot take away with them. If they are to understand such points as those about verification, it is essential that hon. Members should have the text of the documents in their hands. No newspaper or journal in this country has printed the text.

Mr. Godber

I realise the difficulties inherent in this, and I have tried to get early release for certain of these documents. Those that have been released have been placed in the Library. Presumably the right hon. Gentleman is referring to the need for a further White Paper, and I shall look at that.

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