§ 94 and 95. Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister (1) if he will discuss with President Nixon the current dispute with the United States of America over the projected sale of two highly advanced computers to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;
(2) what communication he has received from President Nixon to the effect that Great Britain should insist on rights of on-site inspection, on limiting the operations of computers sold by Great Britain to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, to ensure that they cannot be used for military purposes.
§ The Prime MinisterDuring my visit to the United States last December I discussed with President Nixon the sale of British computers and other relevant matters. Discussions are continuing between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Administration. It is not the practice to disclose details of discussions with other Governments about matters of this kind.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister (1) what acknowledgment he has made to 352W President Nixon of his request for technical safeguards, to be imposed by Great Britain, on the two highly advanced computers which are under negotiation for sale to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;
(2) for how many weeks he has been in consultation with President Nixon on the sale of highly advanced British computers to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics at an estimated cost of 24 million dollars;
(3) if he will discuss with President Nixon the question of limitations imposed on multi-national companies operating in Great Britain, based in the United States of America, which are not imposed on British firms in their trading relations with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;
(4) if he will make a statement outlining the rôles agreed between him and President Nixon, for withholding war-potential goods and machines from Communist countries, and which may breach United States national trading rules, because the material contains United States-made components;
(5) if he will discuss with President Nixon the extension of the set of rules, devised by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in 1968, to allow more computers to be made available by United Kingdom firms for research purposes in Communist countries.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to similar Questions which he put to me earlier today.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister if he will discuss with Mr. Kosygin the sale of highly advanced British computers, made by International Computers Limited, for use at the High-Energy Physics and Nuclear Research Centre at Seysukhov, south of Moscow.
§ The Prime MinisterI have no plans to do so.