§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, I beg to ask the third Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government when the admission of China to the World Health Organisation was last proposed and what vote the British delegate was directed to cast.]
THE EARL OF GOSFORDMy Lords, China has been a member of the World Health Organisation since its foundation and has been represented in the Organisation by the Chinese Nationalist Authorities except for a period between 1950 and 1953 when China ceased active participation. When the World Health Assembly met in 1953, Her Majesty's Government's representative at the Conference was instructed to abstain on a vote to seat the representatives appointed by the Chinese Nationalist Authorities.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, does the noble Earl think that Answer is really worthy? When I used the term "China" I was speaking of the mainland of China, which has 630 million people. On the occasion to which he refers, why did the British representative not oppose the report of the Credentials Committee by saying, in company with India, Norway, and other States, that we thought it was desirable, quite apart from politics, that this large mass of the world population should be represented in the Organisation?
THE EARL OF GOSFORDMy Lords, I can only say that China is a member of the Organisation. Who represents China in the Organisation is an entirely different matter and is not one for which Her Majesty's Government are responsible or which they can decide.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, with great respect to the noble Earl, is it not the case that this country has recognised the Chinese People's Republic de facto and de jure? Therefore is it not the case that, so far as this country is concerned, there is no question at all of there being two Chinas?
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Viscount for putting that question. I was about to rise to ask the same one. It seems to us to be an extraordinary situation in which this country recognises, de jure, the People's Republic of China and then instructs its representative to abstain from voting against an adverse report with regard to admission to the World Health Organisation. Surely there cannot be any doubt in the mind of Her Majesty's Government that medical opinions which have been expressed in public here about danger arising, not only to us but to the Chinese people, are serious, and all precautions should be taken. Is there any reason, therefore, which appeals to the noble Leader of the House as to why there should be any delay at all in seeking to get the Chinese People's Republic into the World Health Organisation and in the meantime in obtaining from that Government—which we recognise de jure—all the necessary information upon which to base proper precautionary steps?
THE EARL OF GOSFORDMy Lords, the World Health Organisation runs its own affairs. Her Majesty's Government feel, however, that possible disruption of the World Health Organisation would result if Her Majesty's Government put forward such a suggestion in the Organisation, in view of the known feelings of members.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHI really am amazed at that answer. As I understood from the answer previously given, Her Majesty's Government instructed their representative to abstain from voting with regard to the admission of representation of the Government to which we give de jure recognition
THE EARL OF GOSFORDThe Government did not authorise our representatives to abstain from voting against the admission of the representatives of Communist China as the representatives of China in the World Health Organisation. They abstained from voting in a vote on the seating of the representatives of the Nationalist Authorities.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, is it not time that Her Majesty's Government took the initiative, which the noble Earl seems to be so nervous of doing, and said that this great mass of world population, whose Government they recognise de jure, ought to be admitted to the World Health Organisation? If it is worth doing, surely it is worth while standing up for the principle and defending it.
THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (THE EARL OF HOME)My Lords, I am afraid that the noble Viscount the Leader of the Opposition, who has appealed to me, quite often finds that an answer given in this House or in another place probably does not satisfy the Opposition. I really think that we cannot debate this point in this way. If it is necessary to debate it, the Opposition must take the initiative and put down a Motion.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, I give notice to the noble Earl that on the Question which I am to put later this afternoon I shall ask him this point specifically: will the Government supply to the Republic of China in Pekin the 766 same amount of prophylactic material as they are proposing to supply to 41 other areas in the world?
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, I am afraid I shall decline to answer the noble Viscount's question. That is exactly the sort of question which he should put down on the Paper. He has not put it down. If he wants to debate the wider implications of this matter we must have a Motion put down or the Order Paper.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEThe noble Earl is not doing me justice. I have put down a Question to ask what steps are being taken. I ask now whether, in view of this distribution in 41 areas of prophylactics against this disease, the Government will include the People's Republic of China among the bodies to receive it.