§ Q4. Mr. Martenasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the progress of his proposals for an Atlantic nuclear force.
§ The Prime MinisterDiscussions are proceeding among the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation principally concerned.
§ Mr. MartenCould the Prime Minister explain the speech of the Minister for Disarmament in Stockholm last Sunday when he said that the N.A.T.O. countries should have only the right of consultation on the use of nuclear forces and not have a system of collective force? If this is so, is it not torpedoing his Atlantic nuclear force?
§ The Prime MinisterWhat my noble Friend was saying—I have studied the full text of his speech—was in accordance with the statement of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary last October, that in deciding the form of collective nuclear arrangements within N.A.T.O. we should have to have regard to the problems of non-proliferation as well as to the so-called "hardware" solution; but it would be too early yet to say what the allies are likely to decide on this question.
§ Mr. MendelsonWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the policy carried out on behalf of Her Majesty's Government by the Minister for Disarmament in his two recent speeches at Geneva and Stockholm is receiving considerable support both in the House and in the country, in particular his declaration that nothing must be done to make impossible a treaty against proliferation between us and the Soviet Union?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir; I am very glad that this has the support of my hon. Friend, particularly as it has been the declared policy of Her Majesty's Government since the debate of 16–17th December, 1964, when I used exactly the same words and I did not note the same enthusiasm on my hon. Friend's part.