§ LORD DAVIESMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question standing in my name on the Paper,.
[The Question was as follows: To ask His Majesty's Government whether, in view of the far-reaching proposals submitted by the Government of France to the Disarmament Conference and which have been endorsed by the French Chamber, they are prepared to publish and circulate the French plan as a White Paper to all members of Parliament.]
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, the noble Lord in his speech last week dealt with the very important and stimulating disarmament proposals recently put forward at Geneva by the French Government. A cordial recognition of the spirit which inspired this plan was offered by my noble friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in another place on November 10 last, and I feel sure his remarks on the subject were generally endorsed. The French plan merits prolonged and profound study here and at Geneva, and I do not think the time has come for any further comment on it on the part of His Majesty's Government; nor do I understand that the noble Lord 393 has asked me to make such a comment. What he has asked is whether His Majesty's Government are prepared to publish and circulate the French plan as a White Paper to all members of Parliament.
In reply I would remind him that it has never been the practice of His Majesty's Government to issue as White Papers documents emanating from other Governments and published by the League of Nations. At any time, and still more at the present time, such publications would in their opinion be an unjustifiable expense. The French plan has been issued both in French and English by the League of Nations, and the noble Lord or any other of your Lordships who are interested in it will find it in the Library of your Lordships' House as 394 Conference D. 146 of the 14th November last. I think there are some ten or fifteen copies available for your Lordships' perusal.