HL Deb 25 June 1979 vol 400 cc1215-6

2.49 p.m.

Lord BROCKWAY

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they endorse the proposals which the previous Labour Government made to the Geneva Committee on Disarmament, and are actively advocating them at the Committee.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, the Government will continue to work for balanced and verifiable measures of disarmament. We shall play a constructive part in the work of the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, I thank the Minister not only for that reply but for the very full letter which I have received today, but I ask him whether the Labour Government's proposals did not include negotiations with the objective of reducing and eventually eliminating nuclear weapons, instituting nuclear-free zones in the world and the prohibition of chemical and radiological weapons? Are these not very radical proposals, and can we have an assurance that Her Majesty's Government will support them at the Geneva Committee?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, the document to which I think the noble Lord refers is a full and comprehensive one which is being closely studied by the new Ministers and therefore I do not think I can add much to what I said originally, but the Government certainly share the view of all other Members of the United Nations that this must be the ultimate goal of arms control efforts.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, I am sure we may take it from the Minister—may we not?—that it is the intention of the present Government to ensure that a Minister from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will from time to time be attending the plenary sessions of the reconstituted Committee on Disarmament in Geneva. May I, in asking that exhortatory question, add the query: is the Minister in a position to say whether a Minister at his office has been designated as Minister for Disarmament?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I cannot say whether that will be done. It certainly has not been done yet.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, I made two points. The first was that a Minister would attend some of the plenary sessions of the reconstituted Committee on Disarmament in Geneva. The second was a distinct question: will a Minister be designated as Minister for Disarmament?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I do not know whether a Minister will be designated as a Minister for Disarmament as such. There may be some difficulties about that. However, I have no doubt that my right honourable friends will be attending in Geneva from time to time.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, we are in the dark as to what is happening at the Geneva Committee. Can the Minister give us any detailed account of the progress which has been made in these disarmament proposals?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, not at Question Time.