§ Q8. Mr. Dribergasked the Prime Minister what steps he is taking, in consultation with the heads of other Governments concerned, to extend and reinforce the partial nuclear test-ban agreement.
§ The Prime MinisterWe shall continue to work at the Geneva Disarmament Conference for a comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. We pledged ourselves to do this in the Test Ban Treaty signed at Moscow, and we voted for a Resolution in this sense in the United Nations General Assembly on 27th November.
§ Mr. DribergWhile it is appreciated that, in the present sad circumstances, the Prime Minister cannot have had any detailed conversation yet with the new American President, does the right hon. Gentleman realise that there is a certain urgency about this matter, both as regards making the ban comprehensive and also as regards getting the signatures of other nations to it, particularly the signature of France?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. I did make a suggestion to Mr. Gromyko when I was Foreign Secretary— and hoped that it would be taken up—that the Soviet, British and American scientists should get together to consider these matters. The suggestion was rejected at the time, but I still hope that it might be a fruitful move.