§ 9. Mr. Wallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now make a further statement on the supply of maritime arms to South Africa.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeI would ask my hon. Friend to await the statement which will be made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister tomorrow.
§ Mr. WallDoes that reply mean that the Prime Minister will be making a definite statement on the supply of maritime arms, or merely on the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference? These matters have been under discussion for six months. Will my right hon. Friend assure the House that we shall get a firm statement as soon as possible?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeWe have said that when the question of the sale of arms to South Africa is decided a statement will be made to the House. Tomorrow the Prime Minister will be making a statement on the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference, a large part of which was taken up with discussions on this issue.
§ Mr. StrangDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that if the British Government were to issue a statement, before the working party on the Indian Ocean got under way, that they would not announce a decision whether to sell arms to South Africa while that working party was conducting its task, that would be a tremendous fillip to the morale of the Commonwealth? Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake this afternoon to consider making such a statement?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeAt the Prime Ministers' Conference in Singapore we made it clear that the decision will be taken at the time which the British Government think is right, and we are not fettered in any way.
§ Mr. Alexander W. LyonIs not there at least a moral obligation on the Government to wait until this working party reports? Has the right hon. Gentleman seen reports in the Press this morning that there have been statements over the weekend in South Africa that they are not now interested in British arms? Does not that show the futility of alienating the Commonwealth in order to please a racialist regime?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeI do not think that the hon. Gentleman ought to believe all the statements that he reads.
§ Rear-Admiral Morgan-GilesMay we have an assurance that from this moment onwards my right hon. Friend and his colleagues will always use the term "maritime arms", to make it quite clear what the true purpose of the arms would be—namely, the defence of the trade routes on which the prosperity and freedom of all African States depends?
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeYes, Sir. Any arms that might be sold will be in the category of maritime arms.