HC Deb 30 January 1973 vol 849 cc1153-5
Q1. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit of Mururoa Atoll.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Edward Heath)

I have at present no plans to do so, Sir.

Mr. Dalyell

Does the Prime Minister disapprove of the French nuclear tests?

The Prime Minister

The position of the British Government, like their predecessor, is well known on the question of nuclear tests in the air. We wish all countries to sign the partial test ban treaty which will prevent tests in the air, and we voted for the resolution during the last Assembly of the United Nations to this effect.

Sir G. Nabarro

Does my right hon. Friend realise that a British Crown Colony, namely, Pitcairn Island, is in the direct area of these nuclear tests and is already suffering from serious fall-out difficulties, which apparently have been rejected for attention by the British Government and the only resident plenipotentiary that we have on the island? Will my right hon. Friend direct his attention to the needs of the Pitcairn Islanders?

The Prime Minister

The Government's attention has been constantly addressed to the needs of the Pitcairn Islanders. The Commissioner for Pitcairn has visited the island each year and, as my hon. Friend knows, a Royal Air Force team has been on Pitcairn specifically to see whether there was any evidence of health hazard as a result of these tests, and the team carried out radiological surveys there. This is the arrangement we have carried out each time we have had notification of any tests. I must tell my hon. Friend—I hope that he will not create unnecessary alarm—that the RAF team has not found evidence of the damage to which he refers.

Mr. Michael Foot

Is it not the case that at one time previous British Governments, with the full support of both sides of the House, protested against nuclear tests when conducted by the Russian Government? Will not the Prime Minister summon up the courage and national dignity to protest with equal force against the test being carried out by the French Government?

The Prime Minister

What we did as a result of the Russian tests was to negotiate with the United States in 1963 for the partial test ban treaty. The then Conservative Government played a very prominent part in getting that treaty and urging other countries to sign it. That is still our position. We reinforced it by our vote for the resolution aft the United Nations at the last Assembly.

Mr. Harold Wilson

If the right hon. Gentleman does not make any public protests about this, will he say whether, in his regular private exchanges with the President of France, he has expressed the opinion of the British Government?

The Prime Minister

I think that the right hon. Gentleman will realise that were I to make public what took place in a private exchange it would no longer be a private exchange.

Mr. Wilson

There are many precedents under both the right hon. Gentleman—[Laughter.] I am surprised that hon. Gentlemen find this question a laughing matter. There are many precedents under successive Governments on this subject. Will the right hon. Gentle- man say whether he has made any protest?

The Prime Minister

The right hon. Gentleman cannot expect me—[Hors. MEMBERS: "Answer."]—to make public any of the contents of any private discussions, any more than he himself did when he was Prime Minister.