HL Deb 11 June 1959 vol 216 cc975-7
LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

My Lords, I beg to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what view they take as to the jurisdiction of sovereign powers over outer space and whether this matter has been the subject of international discussion.]

THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (LORD HAILSHAM)

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government consider that sovereignty over space above national territory cannot extend indefinitely upwards. It cannot, however, be said that International Law has yet determined the exact limit to be placed on the extension of sovereignty upwards or what legal régime should apply in realms of outer space to which sovereignty does not extend. There are still too many unsolved problems in this field to justify the adoption at present of any sweeping legal propositions, in whatever direction they tend. The nature of legal problems in this field is at present under discussion in the Legal Sub-Committee of the United Nations ad hoc Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, having been previously touched upon at the XIII Session of the United Nations General Assembly last autumn.

3.13 p.m.

LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

My Lords, I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have sought or received any advice as to the possibility or probability that sentient creatures live in other worlds and whether any attempts at communication have been considered or foreshadowed.]

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government do not include communication with any possible inhabitants of other worlds among the objects of the United Kingdom Space Research programme. The instruments for this programme will be carried in earth satellites, and it has been made clear that lunar, planetary and solar probes are not to be part of the programme. Accordingly, Her Majesty's Government have not sought or received any advice as to whether sentient creatures live in other worlds.

LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for his careful Answer, may I ask him whether it would not be wiser, having regard to our limited resources, to make further inquiries as to the circumstances which may exist in outer space before we lend ourselves, however indirectly, to a process which, as the historian may see it, may appear to be unprovoked aggression, and may even be the beginning of the war of the worlds? Moreover, may I ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is really wise for us to be a "third fiddle" in this game which has already been started by the Americans and Russians, and whether we had not better devote our limited resources to inquiry, rather than shooting?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, as regards the first part of the question, I would say that our space programme does not involve any unprovoked aggression against any third world or second world, since we limit our activities to satellites revolving around our own planet, and I think that Her Majesty's Government would resent the suggestion that the Martians had anything to fear from this programme.

As regards the second part of the suggestion, I think, if I may say so, that my noble friend is underestimating the amount of work to be done in this field. The work which it is contemplated to do in the satellite programme is work which is not being done by other people, and the mere fact that other countries have developed vehicles for putting satellites into orbit is, I think, as little reason for refraining from doing so ourselves, if we think it is scientifically desirable, as the fact that other countries build telescopes would be a reason for not building telescopes ourselves.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Viscount whether Her Majesty's Government's present advisers admit, prima facie, the sovereignty of the moon and stars?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, I am not sure that I know what the noble Viscount is referring to. I never thought the moon was sovereign, or, indeed, that the stars were sovereign; and I think it is extremely doubtful whether any sovereignty exists over them at International Law.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

Not their own sovereignty over themselves?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, I do not recognise the moon and stars as being sentient creatures which could have sovereignty over themselves.