THE EARL OF GOWRIEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask Her Majesty's Government a Question of which I have given Private Notice—namely,
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a Statement on their attitude towards President Nixon's decision to send troops into Cambodia.
§ LORDSHACKLETONMy Lords, the Government's attitude to the present situation will be explained by my right honourable friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and the Prime Minister in the course of a debate which is shortly to be held in another place. I hope the noble Earl and the House will agree that we should await the outcome of that debate.
THE EARL OF GOWRIEMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord the Leader of the House for that extremely courteous reply, and appreciating that we should know a great deal more by this evening, may I ask whether he does not agree that President Nixon's decision will be prejudicial to the ending of war in the area and may embarrass America's friends and Allies, as well as her opponents? Will he not therefore also agree that it is most urgent that both Houses of Parliament in this country be given a chance to debate South-East Asian affairs? Will the noble Lord take steps to ensure that the House of Lords be given time for such debate?
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, I think my first reply indicated that I was not in a position to comment on the first part of the noble Earl's supplementary 115 question. The possibility of a debate in your Lordships' House is one which is always open to us. My own view is that I think we shall all want to study not only what is said in another place but also events as they may unfold.
§ LORD BLYTONMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that we ought to be careful in this matter? I was in Vietnam last year and, apart from the rights and wrongs of the matter, the American soldiers do not know who their friends are because of the infiltration from the Cambodian and Laos borders.
§ LORD SHACKLETONAgain, my Lords, I note my noble friend's remark.