§ 50. Mr. Awberyasked the Prime Minister if he is aware of the confusion created in the minds of many people on the question of the abolition of the atom bomb as a result of statements made by the Governments of both Great Britain and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics asserting that each of them are anxious to abolish the tests and each condemning the other as the cause of their continuation; and if he will take steps to publish the correspondence which has passed between the two countries on this subject for the past two years so that the confusion may be removed.
§ The Prime MinisterI am aware that such confusion may exist, but not, I think, as a result of statements made by Her Majesty's Government. Most of the correspondence with the Soviet Government on this matter has already appeared in official publications. I will, with permission, circulate a list of these in the Official Report. Some of the recent correspondence has not been officially published but has appeared in the Press and as United Nations documents. If the House so desires, I will be glad to arrange for it to be presented as a further White Paper.
Following is the list:
Cmnd. 380. Correspondence between the Prime Minister and Mr. Bulganin April 20 to September 2, 1957.Cmnd. 381. Correspondence between the Prime Minister and Mr. Bulganin December 11, 1957, to February 8, 1958.Cmnd. 423. Correspondence with the Soviet Union on Summit Talks March 17 to April 16, 1958.Cmnd. 469. Further Correspondence with the Soviet Union on Summit Talks April 24 to July 1, 1958.Cmnd. 516. Further Correspondence with the Soviet Union July 19 to August 10, 1958.