§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union to the effect that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics extend its moratorium on nuclear tests beyond 31 December; and if he will initiate discussions with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the outstanding problems of verification of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.
§ Mr. EggarNo. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister earlier268W today. The United Kingdom, together with other western countries, proposed in 1984 a mandate for an ad hoc committee at the Geneva conference on disarmament which would have allowed discussion of outstanding problems, including verification. It is a matter of regret that the Soviet Union has not agreed to this western mandate.