HC Deb 20 January 1964 vol 687 cc98-9W
Mr. Longden

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the United Kingdom delegate on the Economic and Social Council on 2nd August, 1963, voted against a resolution proposed by Colombia, Czechoslovakia, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America on the conversion to peaceful needs of the resources to be released by disarmament.

Mr. R. A. Butler

The United Kingdom vote against the Economic and Social Council Resolution 982 (XXXVI) of 2nd August, 1963, was intended to indicate our belief that, in the absence of substantial progress towards disarmament, the expense and effort of further studies on its economic and social consequences, for which the resolution called, were not justified. Her Majesty's Government were, however, impressed by the support the resolution received in the Economic and Social Council and by the views expressed subsequently by delegations at the United Nations General Assembly. Our Representative in the General Assembly therefore voted for Resolution 1931 (XVII) of 13th December, 1963, which,inter alia, endorsed the Economic and Social Council Resolution in question.