§ 16. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of State for Defence what are the broad strategic objectives on which a better understanding must be reached between the British and French Governments before discussions on nuclear collaboration can be held.
§ Lord BalnielThe agreed objectives of the Western Alliance.
§ Mr. AllaunBut should not these objectives, which the Minister said last month were a pre-condition for this col- 564 laboration, be put before Parliament before they are discussed with the French Government?
§ Lord BalnielThere are no discussions with the French Government on this subject.
§ Mr. George ThomsonIs the hon. Gentleman aware that, in the light of the attitude of the present Prime Minister when he was Leader of the Opposition, we warmly congratulate the Government on their conversion to the caution of their predecessors about this question of Anglo-French nuclear co-operation?
§ Lord BalnielThe right hon. Gentleman will remember that the Prime Minister's speech was made in 1965, when France was a member of N.A.T.O., and that it was developed later in the Godkin lectures. My right hon. Friend talked of Anglo-French nuclear co-operation as being a long-term possibility which might result in closer collaboration of European enterprise.
§ 22. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Minister of State for Defence whether, in the interests of non-proliferation, he will undertake that there will be no nuclear collaboration with the French except under the aegis of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
§ Lord BalnielI agree that such collaboration would best be achieved within the framework of the Alliance, although we should not inhibit ourselves by refusing to discuss even the possibility of satisfactory arrangements being devised on some wider basis.
§ Mr. JenkinsThat is a very unsatisfactory answer. We understood the Government to say that they were in future proposing to confine themselves, concerning nuclear weapons, within the orbit of N.A.T.O. Is it not the case that if the Government proceed with that policy outside N.A.T.O. they will encourage proliferation? Is this not a policy which hon. Members on both sides of the House ought to set their faces against?
§ Lord BalnielYes. As I said, the views of the two Governments differ. Our nuclear forces are, in fact, assigned to N.A.T.O. The hon. Gentleman is mistaken that this question is affected by the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Under the Non-Proliferation Treaty it is open for 565 Governments which have nuclear capabilities to discuss them amongst themselves.
§ Mr. George ThomsonApart from the Non-Proliferation Treaty aspects, may I ask whether the hon. Gentleman will tell the House unequivocally that Her Majesty's Government do not intend to engage in any nuclear co-operation with the French Government except within the framework of N.A.T.O.
§ Lord BalnielThere are no discussions proceeding at the moment. It would be wrong to inhibit the future options which are open to us.