HC Deb 22 March 1971 vol 814 cc25-7
29. Mr. Raymond Fletcher

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Council of Europe about the sale by the United Kingdom of arms to South Africa; and what reply he has sent.

46. Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about arms sales to South Africa from the governments of Italy, France, Holland and Germany; and what replies he has sent.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

None, Sir. The matter has, of course, been discussed with a number of other governments, but the content of such discussions is confidential.

Mr. Fletcher

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that is precisely the answer I expected, and may I draw the attention of some of my hon. Friends to it, because we have been engaged in other discussions on this matter?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I am all for the hon. Gentleman drawing the attention of his hon. Friends to my answers.

Mr. Alexander W. Lyon

Will the right hon. Gentleman tell the Council of Europe, and indeed this House, that we shall sell no arms other than concerned with our legal obligations, otherwise we shall be in the unenviable state of having sanctions applied against us by the African States when we do not know, and when perhaps they do not know, whether we shall ever sell any further arms? Would not a firm reassurance at this stage save us from the worst of both worlds?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

No, Sir. I have already said—we debated the matter only a short time ago—that the Government reserve their position on this, and we must be the judges whether at any future date we sell any more arms to South Africa.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

In the event of such representations being received, will my right hon. Friend, in view of the French position as an enthusiastic supplier of arms to South Africa, discover whether the French Government are associated with these representations as sender or as recipient?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

There is no doubt in the mind of any hon. Member that the French sell large quantities of arms to South Africa, and that is their affair.

Mr. Thorpe

As the Foreign Secretary said that he has discussed these matters with our colleagues in the Council of Europe, and since many of us in the House share an interest in the subject, can he tell either them or us whether it is a fact that there is a South African buying mission for further arms in this country at the moment?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I think that the right hon. Gentleman must just have come into the Chamber or not have been attending. Yes, there is a mission.