§ Lord BROCKWAYMy 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 will support at the Geneva U.N. Disarmament Committee the proposal of the Swedish and Romanian delegations that there should be an international freeze on all military expenditure.
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, before negotiations could begin on freezing military expenditure, we would need international agreement on a means of reporting and verifying military budgets. The Government are supporting work in the United Nations to reach such agreement, but further progress depends on Soviet willingness to co-operate.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking the Minister, may I ask whether he could explain this contradiction? The noble Lord, Lord Carrington, has made admirable speeches in Eastern Europe in favour of détente and disarmament. Can he explain the contradiction why the Government are opposing every proposal made in this House for disarmament—chemical weapons last week, the Indian Ocean yesterday, and the proposal today? Will the Government themselves take the initiative if they are sincere in making proposals for disarmament?
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, we are not opposing every proposal that comes forward but we have to consider each and every one on its merits, principally in the light of whether it will be effective.
§ Lord ELWYN-JONESMy Lords, can the noble Lord say which other delegations are supporting the proposals from Sweden and Romania?
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, I do not think I have that information in front of me. No formal conclusion has been reached on this matter in any event, and any answer I could give would be only an indication of people's preliminary positions.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, is the Minister aware that the Committee of 21, an actual majority at Geneva, are supporting this proposal, representing the unaligned nations?
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, the noble Lord is always so well informed on these matters and I bow to what he has to say, but the fact is that we still have to consider it in the light of whether or not it would be effective.