HL Deb 19 March 1969 vol 300 cc876-7
LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, I beg leave 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 what action is being taken to establish international control of the exploitation of sea-beds for mineral and other resources.]

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, we have repeatedly made it clear that we favour the establishment of an international regime governing the exploitation of the sea-bed beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. As my right honourable friend the Prime Minister said on February 27 in another place, we are concerting discussions to this end and we will be pursuing this in the present and subsequent meetings of the United Nations Standing Committee on the Peaceful Use of the Sea-bed.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, while sincerely welcoming that reply from my noble friend, may I ask him whether urgent consideration will be given to this matter because of the danger that there may be a new submarine colonialism?

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Oh!

LORD BROCKWAY

Oh, yes! Is my noble friend aware that, in the case of the oceans, we are now passing through the same stage as the 1885 division of the colonial territories, and that the danger is that the sea-bed may go to the Great Powers? Apart from that interruption, may I ask this question? In view of the United Nations' endorsement of President Johnson's proposal for an international decade of ocean exploration, are the Government prepared to support the proposal of Avrid Pardo, the Maltese delegate to the United Nations, that there should be an extra-national agency on this matter and that the massive wealth available should be devoted to the needs of the developing countries?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, I can certainly assure my noble friend that Her Majesty's Government fully support the principle of an international régime governing the use of the sea-bed, the idea put forward, as he rightly said, by the Maltese Government and subsequently taken up at the United Nations. I entirely agree with my noble friend that this is now becoming a matter of some urgency. I can assure him that Her Majesty's Government are fully seized of the urgency of this problem.

THE EARL OF BESSBOROUGH

My Lords, can the noble Lord say when the Government Report on marine science and technology is likely to be published? It is long overdue.

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, I am sorry that I cannot give the date. I can only say that we hope and believe that it will be published soon.

LORD RITCHIE-CALDER

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether, in considering that review, it will he borne in mind that it will be very useful to integrate the activities of this country with the international programme which we hope will emerge?

LORD CHALFONT

My Lords, we shall certainly bear in mind the matter raised by my noble friend.