§ Q4. Sir T. Beamishasked the Prime Minister if he will now make a further statement of policy about the sale of British arms and equipment for use in Vietnam to the United States, Australia and New Zealand, taking into account the common obligation with them under the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation pact to resist aggression against South Vietnam and the fact that the other co-Chairman of the 1954 Geneva Conference on Indo-China, namely the Soviet Union, is supplying large quantities of arms and missiles to the Communist side in North Vietnam.
§ The Prime MinisterI have nothing to add to the Answer I gave on 12th July last year to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, West (Mr. Hamling).—[Vol. 731, c. 191.]
§ Sir T. BeamishAre not the Government in a completely false and anomalous position? What restrictions have been placed, if any, on the use of British arms by Britain's allies in Vietnam? By what criteria do the Government judge whether to export arms to the United States, bearing in mind that the export to Australia and New Zealand is unconditional and unrestricted?
§ The Prime MinisterI explained this in great detail a year ago and the position has not changed. We believe that, in our position as co-Chairman, however differently the other co-Chairman to which the question referred may interpret his position, we should not be shipping arms directly for use in Vietnam. We therefore have to take a decision case by case as to what the position would be, and the United States Government fully understand this.
Mr. R. C. MitchellWould my right hon. Friend not agree that the best way for Britain to help Vietnam in its struggle against aggression is not by sending arms, either directly or indirectly, but by substantial increases in civilian aid, for example, medical supplies and doctors?
§ The Prime MinisterWe have given help with medical supplies and doctors, particularly doctors for treating children injured in the fighting, and we have already discussed with a number of countries concerned what we hope can be given when the fighting stops, because there will be a tremendous need for economic development then.
§ Mr. GoodhartIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the only British supplies really needed by our allies in Vietnam are cases of Scotch whisky?
§ The Prime MinisterThat has not been drawn to my attention and is not on any strategic embargo list in any possible market.
§ Mr. WallaceIs my right hon. Friend aware that a British Government concerned with peace could best direct their efforts to the reduction of arms sales throughout the world and in the U.N.?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir, and this is our policy, as I explained in an answer last week. We are particularly concerned with this, the urgency of which has been shown in recent weeks in the Middle East, but in that case we want some reciprocity from the other arms-supplying countries.