§ 48. Mr. Harold Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the forthcoming atomic bomb test that China is to make on 28th March, if he will now make a statement 129W on Her Majesty's Government's proposals for the association of that country with the forthcoming disarmament discussions.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydNo. I am not aware of any authoritative statement that the Chinese Government has set off a nuclear explosion or intends to do so shortly. I have nothing to add to my reply on this subject on 7th March.
§ 53. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the Western proposals for disarmament at Geneva do not provide, in the first stage, for the physical destruction of armaments.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydThe reason for this is that we wished to put forward proposals that were likely to secure acceptance.
§ 62. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs his estimate of the amounts by which existing armed forces would be reduced if the Western proposals for disarmament at Geneva were adopted.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydThe Western Plan provides for the eventual reduction of armed forces to levels required for internal security and fulfilment of obligations under the United Nations Charter.
§ Mr. Warbeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the Ten-Nation Disarmament Conference.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydWhen the Committee met, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State presented the Western proposals on behalf of the five Western Governments and Mr. Zorin explained Mr. Khrushchev's proposals of last September.
Despite obvious differences there appear to be certain areas of agreement, and I hope that the Ten Power Committee may soon discuss them in detail.