HL Deb 26 January 1982 vol 426 cc857-8

2.45 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 what is their response to the recommendations of the Olaf Palme Commission on Disarmament and Security on the limitation of arms sales by:

  1. 1. a United Nations public registry of deliveries of conventional arms;
  2. 2. bilateral talks between the Soviet Union and the United States on conventional arms transfers, and
  3. 3. regional security arrangements among recipients of arms transfers.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Trefgarne)

My Lords, the Palme Commission has not yet reported, but when it does the Government will give the commission's recommendations careful study.

Lord Brockway

My Lords, while thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask whether he is aware that the commission has already made the proposals which I indicated in my Question? While there is major concern about nuclear weapons, is not the increase in the arms trade, arms of conventional technology, also a matter of concern? Is it not particularly serious for the third world countries who should be using, their expenditure for agricultural development and lifting the standards of life for their people? Will Her Majesty's Government support these proposals at the renewed United Nations' assembly on disarmament next year?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, it is true that some of the suggestions trailed in the noble Lord's Question have been the subject of press releases, I think, by the commission, but it is too early yet to give a detailed response to these. We shall certainly be ready to do so as soon as the report appears and we have had a chance to study it. I understand that that will be in time for the second special session on disarmament, which is to take place in New York later this year.

Lord Peart

My Lords, is the Minister aware that today in the Herald Tribune there is a fairly full account of the attitude of General Haig, and a welcome that Gromyko has also agreed to have discussions on this? We have dealt with SALT in many debates, so I shall not press the matter, but I hope that the House will be kept informed of progress.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I shall certainly be very willing to answer appropriate questions on this matter which your Lordships may see fit to table. If the noble Lord is referring to the talks which I think are taking place today in Geneva between Mr. Gromyko and Mr. Haig, then we are certainly watching those with great interest.

Lord Brockway

My Lords, will the Government reconsider their decisions to hold exhibitions by 140 armament companies in this country, inviting third world countries to send representatives to buy arms? Is not that a direct incentive to divert to the arms race expenditure which is needed to end disease, starvation and illiteracy in those countries?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, may I just make two points about our attitude to arms sales in general? The first one is that we would not seek to restrict the ability of other Governments, be they third world or any other, to acquire such arms as they may properly require for their defence. We naturally take a strong view about arms being sold for what the noble Lord has referred to as " repressive purposes " from time to time. As the noble Lord and the House will recall, we do license each and every sale of arms of this kind, and indeed any other kind, and so they cannot be regarded in the same light as commercial sales of other categories.