HC Deb 11 February 1964 vol 689 cc283-4

6.57 p.m.

Mr. William Warbey (Ashfield)

I beg to move, in page 1, line 7, after "party" to insert: being arrangements made solely under the authority, and with the express authorisation, of the Security Council of the United Nations Organisation". Despite the short and long Title of the Bill, it is clear from the Clause that we are not dealing with any international headquarters but only with international military headquarters. I am surprised that this has not been made clear from the start in the Titles. The Clause makes it clear that we are concerned with the organisation of military forces and with international headquarters or defence organisations which may be set up in connection with the international organisation's military forces. We were told by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department on Second Reading that the purpose of the Bill was to ratify a protocol which was referred to in the Explanatory Memorandum, but I can find nothing in the Clause or the Bill which restricts it to that protocol, to any specific international military organisation or to any international military alliance.

The purpose of the Amendment is to make it clear that the only international military headquarters and the only international defence organisation which we are prepared to see designated under the Bill and given the rights which are to be accorded to it under the Bill, including rights to some extent restricting the rights and liberties of British citizens and British courts of justice, are military organisations which are set out under the only body to which this country has so far made a delegation of national sovereignty in respect of the use of British armed forces.

This is necessary in order both to bring the Bill into line with previous legislation passed by the House and to avoid what would be a very grave constitutional error—namely, that we should delegate national sovereignty to any body which Parliament and the Queen have not explicitly designated as a body to which we have delegated specific aspects of British sovereignty.

In putting forward the case—

It being Seven o'clock The CHAIRMAN left the Chair, further Proceeding standing postponed until after the consideration of Private Business set down by direction of The CHAIRMAN OF WAYS AND MEANS under Standing Order No. 7 (Time for taking Private Business).

Mr. SPEAKER resumed the Chair.