HC Deb 13 December 1965 vol 722 cc892-5
12. Mr. Zilliacus

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the fact that the admission of Western Germany to any form of participation in any kind of international nuclear force would make it impossible to reach agreement with the Soviet Union on a treaty to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, or on disarmament and disengagement, the establishment of a nuclear weapon free zone in central Europe, or the unification of Germany, if he will now give priority to the need for diminishing tension, disarmament and a political settlement in Europe.

Mr. Padley

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in reply to my hon. Friend on 2nd November, Her Majesty's Government's policy is both to achieve progress towards agreement on non-dissemination and disarmament, and to work actively with our allies to ensure our effective collective defence. Our aim is to achieve both these objectives in harmony.

Mr. Zilliacus

Does my hon. Friend recall that on 23rd November last year the Prime Minister said that any measure for strengthening collective defence which made agreement with the Soviet Union on these matters more difficult was no longer appropriate? Is it not clear by now that any form of associating Western Germany with any kind of international nuclear force would be a fatal obstacle to reaching agreement with the Soviet Union in these matters?

Mr. Padley

I have nothing to add to the replies of the Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister, already given to my hon. Friend on this Question.

18. Mr. Ioan L. Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what plans he intends to put forward to promote disarmament.

25. Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what initiatives Her Majesty's Government intend to take to promote progress in disarmament.

Mr. Padley

I would refer hon. Members to what my right hon. Friend said in answer to a Question by the hon. Gentleman the Member for Hertford (Lord Balniel) on 22nd November. The Government intend to make a determined effort to reach agreement on preventing the further spread of nuclear weapons and on the extension of the partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty to cover underground tests.

Mr. Evans

While agreeing that priority should be given to a treaty to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, may I ask my hon. Friend what further measures his Department is preparing in view of the proposal by the United Nations Organisation to convene a world conference on disarmament? Does my hon. Friend realise that at present more is being spent on arms in the world than the total national income of Africa, Asia and Latin America?

Mr. Padley

The Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee has been reconvened largely on British initiative. My hon. Friend can remain satisfied that the Government will take a full part, both at Geneva and at New York, in promoting disarmament measures.

Mr. Blaker

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Foreign Secretary claimed last week, presumably by mistake, that the present Government had put forward to the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee four new proposals which had not been put forward by the previous Government? Will he take this opportunity to correct the record? Have they put forward any new proposals at all?

Mr. Padley

I think that the hon. Gentleman might raise that matter in the debate on foreign affairs which we hope to have next week.

Mr. Philip Noel-Baker

Will my hon. Friend recognise that the summoning of this disarmament conference for 1967 is a new fact and that it is urgently important that Her Majesty's Government should prepare proposals which go beyond the very limited partial measures now under consideration.

Mr. Padley

I fully accept that.

Mr. Soames

Will not the hon. Gentleman agree that my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Blaker) is absolutely right and that in fact nothing has been achieved by the Minister for Disarmament in the whole of this year? Can the hon. Gentleman give one achievement? What is the Minister doing in Japan., in view of the fact that the hon. Gentleman said a few minutes ago that the Foreign Secretary had agreed everything with the Japanese Government already?

Mr. Padley

My noble Friend the Minister of State with special responsibility for disarmament has done a very constructive job—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh"]—yes—by expanding the disarmament section of the Foreign Office —[Interruption.]—by his participation in the discussions in Geneva and by his participation in the discussions in New York.

Mr. E. L. Mallalieu

Is my hon. Friend aware that neither of the two measures which he mentioned is in fact a disarmament measure and that no sign has been given of any recognition by Her Majesty's Government that unless nations are offered security they will not give up their arms?

Lord Balniel

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that not only has there been no achievement, as referred to by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bedford (Mr. Soames), but there has been no constructive new initiative since the Government came to office? May I ask the hon. Gentleman whether, in the light of reports of scientific advance in detection, he is thinking of actively resuming negotiations with a view to extending the last Administration's test ban treaty so as to cover underground tests?

Mr. Padley

My original Answer gave a positive response to the final part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question. The plain fact is that, in the early months of the Government's period of office, other powers were not prepared to agree to a reconvening of the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee at Geneva. With the Foreign Secretary, I spent days last March seeking to convince Mr. Gromyko that this should be done. Obviously one has to reactivate machinery before one puts forward specific proposals.