§ Mr. MANDERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken by this country and the League of Nations to carry out that part of Article 8 of the Covenant which declares that members of the League agree that the manufacture by private enterprise of munitions and implements of war is open to grave objection, and that the Council shall advise how the evil effects attendant upon such manufacture could be prevented; and what is the present position?
Mr. A. HENDERSONA special commission was appointed by the Council 453W of the League of Nations in December, 1926, to frame a draft Convention on the Private Manufacture of Arms. This Commission has since met on several occasions and has drawn up a draft Convention. As I informed the hon. Member on 12th February, there are, however, difficulties in the way of accepting this Convention until agreement has been reached on the question of the general disarmament convention. The last Assembly passed a resolution requesting the Council to consider the desirability, as soon as the Preparatory Commission has concluded its work in connection with the general disarmament problem, of convening a further meeting of the special commission in order to complete the text of the preliminary draft Convention.