HC Deb 13 November 1962 vol 667 cc194-5
Q5. Mr. A. Henderson

asked the Prime Minister what reply he has received from Mr. Khrushchev to his letter of 28th October containing his proposals for working towards a more general arrangement regarding armaments.

The Prime Minister

I have not yet received a reply to my message.

Mr. Henderson

Did not the Prime Minister in his letter urge the early conclusion of a test ban treaty and a new determination in resolving the disarmament problem? Is not his initiative neutralised by the fact that the Government have announced their decision to embark on new tests after Mr. Khrushchev had announced that all Russian tests would be ended by 20th November? Does not this make a mockery of the Prime Minister's letter, and will not he, at least, consider postponing this test until a further attempt has been made to obtain a test ban agreement, as suggested in his own letter?

The Prime Minister

I understand that the Russian atmospheric tests are likely to end on 20th November, although I am informed that other of their tests may continue until the end of the year. There is a Private Notice Question down on this subject which I do not wish to anticipate. The American underground tests also are continuing.

Mr. Gaitskell

I appreciate that there is a Private Notice Question to be asked, bust may I put this specific question to the Prime Minister now? At the time the right hon. Gentleman wrote his letter to Mr. Khrushchev, had the British Government already taken a decision to hold another nuclear test?

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir; this particular test following the one in March, as I shall explain, had been arranged. I hoped to have concluded it earlier but, owing to technical and other difficulties, it was not possible to conclude it until within a short period from now.

Mr. Gaitskell

Is it not very surprising that the Prime Minister should write his letter without giving an indication to the Russians that, in fact, we were going to make another test?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir; any idea that the whole problem of working out a complete treaty can be settled in a few weeks or a few days is quite unrealistic.