HC Deb 03 April 1969 vol 781 cc655-6
Q5. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Prime Minister when he now expects to publish the Government's White Paper on the development of the ocean environment.

The Prime Minister

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on my behalf by my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary to a question by the hon. Member for Paddington, South (Mr. Scott) last Tuesday.

Mr. Dalyell

Is the Prime Minister aware that whereas few of us expect him to set up a Ministry of Ocean Affairs, or even to appoint a Minister of State, there is a problem in that 11 different Ministries have a significant interest in the development of the marine environment? Is it not time to concentrate responsibility, and might not, on reflection, the best Department in which to concentrate responsibility be the Navy Department, which has control of a considerable amount of the relevant hardware?

The Prime Minister

The reason why a number of Ministries are involved—and we have the same problem in relation to more celestial affairs as well as ocean affairs—is that 11 different subjects which are the responsibility of Ministries are involved in a full consideration of this matter. I would regret to see any proposition under which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs was relieved of his responsibilities here, because of the keen desire of all of us—certainly of Her Majesty's Government—to deal with the problem of safeguarding the sea from use for nuclear purposes.

Sir H. Legge-Bourke

Will the Prime Minister give an assurance that he will not come to a final decision in this matter until the Select Committee on Science and Technology has had an opportunity of reporting on the work that it will be doing in the remainder of this Session after Easter?

The Prime Minister

Yes. I am grateful to the hon. Member. The Government look forward to the Report of the Select Committee with keen interest.

Mr. Lubbock

Is not the first problem to resolve—as the right hon. Gentleman implied in his answer to the last question—the ownership of the ocean bed resources? Can he say what fresh proposals Her Majesty's Government are making in the United Nations to resolve this matter?

The Prime Minister

No fresh proposals. I have already reported to the House on the discussions at the United Nations. The United Nations Resolution on the Decade proposal, which was tabled by the United States and cosponsored by us, was adopted without a vote and without objection by the General Assembly last December. We now proceed to act within that Resolution.