asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps are being taken to make safer the stretch of Watling Street from entering Grendon to beyond Dordon in the County of Warwick.

No immediate steps are contemplated. A widening of the carriageway would make conditions safer but I cannot yet say when it will be possible to fit the widening of this particular length of road into the general road programme.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the chief constable of Warwickshire has said that 203 accidents have taken place in a period of three years, and that immediate steps ought to be taken to make this road safer?

We believe that the only satisfactory way of dealing with this problem will be to widen the road. We intend to do that but there are, even on this same trunk road, stretches where the work is even more urgent than it is here.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the number of accidents which have taken place along Watling Street from entering Grendon to beyond Dordon in the County of Warwick, giving figures for a recent convenient period, and showing accidents which were fatal and non-fatal.

During the year ended 30th April, 1956, sixty-three accidents were reported by the police on this stretch of road. Of these, four were fatal, twenty-one resulted in non-fatal injuries and thirty-eight resulted in damage to property only.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have been profoundly moved by the cruel accidents which have taken place along this murderous stretch of road, which is regarded as a black spot in Warwickshire, and that short-term and long-term plans ought to be made to improve it?

I am very doubtful whether any short-term plans would be effective for this purpose. The road is quite straight, and I think it is only by widening it that we shall obtain any substantial improvement. We are anxious to do that as soon as it is possible to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what action he is taking on the resolution of the Reigate Corporation drawing his attention to the difficulties experienced by pedestrians and other forms of traffic in trying to cross the London-Brighton Road A23 at its junction with Hooley Lane and Mill Street. Redhill, particularly at weekends and peak periods.

The council has now been told that when land near the junction has been acquired, consideration will be given to the carrying out of a small widening scheme, in advance of a more comprehensive improvement, to enable a refuge to be provided to help pedestrians.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the anxiety created among many residents of Ickenham by the proposal to route the D ring road through that district; the reasons for this proposed change in the route; when he expects a final decision to be made; and when he estimates work on the road in that area will be started.

Yes, Sir. I received a protest from the Ickenham Residents' Association but as the proposed road is the responsibility of the Middlesex County Council I have referred it to that council. I understand that the county council is now considering a number of possible lines of route between Western Avenue and the proposed Aylesbury Radial, but until I receive its proposals I am unable to make any further comment.

Does not the Minister appreciate that an absolute blight is hanging over the homes involved so long as these proposals are being discussed, and that the people are unable to sell their property if they are compelled, for other reasons, to move? Will he do all he can to ensure that a decision is reached as speedily as possible so that the people may know what their position is?

I do not at all disagree with what the hon. Gentleman says. It places property owners in a most difficult position when there are doubts of this kind. I hope that what has been said in the House may also spur on the local authorities to a decision.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the number of days during each of the past three years on which poor visibility has prevented aeroplanes landing at or taking off from London Airport and the aggregate number of hours of such interference in each of the past three years.

The lowest declared visibility for operations at London Airport is 150 yards. Visibility fell below this figure for more than one hour on forty-three days in 1953, on twelve days in 1954 and on eighteen days in 1955. The aggregate number of hours in each year was 200 hours in 1953, 60 hours in 1954 and 117 hours in 1955.

Does my hon. Friend agree that it would be of great advantage to air transport if these delays at London Airport could be cut out, and if the airport could become one which is used at all stages of visibility?

One has to remember that there are diversionary airports to which the companies can operate in the case of fog. It must also be realised that F.I.D.O. will only clear fog; it will not clear low cloud, heavy rain or snow, which are responsible for some of the conditions that my hon. Friend has in mind.

Does the Joint Parliamentary Secretary recall that when I gave that Answer six years ago there were howls of derision from the opposite benches, and that hon. Gentlemen opposite demanded F.I.D.O. before the next winter? Are we to understand that still no decision has been made?

I am glad to know that the hon. Gentleman has not joined in any howls of derision at the Answer which I have just given.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will state the estimated cost of installing F.I.D.O. at London Airport: and the estimated annual running cost of such an installation.

The cost of installing a full F.I.D.O. system at London Airport was last estimated in 1954 at £335,000, and the annual standing charges at £74,000. These figures should now be increased by about 15 per cent. Annual fuel costs depend, of course, on how often the system is used in any year, but. assuming 1,000 burns spread between take-offs and landings, the annual fuel cost estimated at the time was £154,000. and would now be about £160,000.

Are those figures based on the addition of a percentage, or are they based on more recent estimates than those of I953? Can my hon. Friend also say how they compare with the similar work in the U.S.A.?

I am afraid I cannot answer the last part of my hon. Friend's question, except that I can say that the tests in America proved to be unsuccessful. We are anxious to obtain more accurate figures than I have been able to give my hon. Friend, and only when we have managed to assess the cost of clearing various degrees of fog shall we be able to give a realistic assessment of the extent to which F.I.D.O. at London Airport would be economic to operate.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that if the equipment saves even one aircraft from a fatal accident it will be cheap at the price? Will he confirm that the Government have not definitely ruled it out but will watch it all the time, with a view, should it prove to be practicable, to installing it at London Airport?

I can give an assurance that the Government have not completely ruled it out. That is why joint experiments are to be carried out at a Royal Air Force station. The purpose is to enable us finally to make more realistic assessments.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the figures which he has quoted relate to the lower-cost apparatus burning heavy oil, or has he overlooked this recent development?

The figures relate to apparatus burning heavy oil.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will state the estimated increase in traffic likely to result from the installation of F.I.D.O. at London Airport, with reference to passenger numbers and volume of freight or money value in sterling.

I regret that I have not sufficient information to enable a satisfactory estimate to be made.

Has my hon. Friend considered not only the saving which would be made by an increase in traffic but the safety factor, mentioned just now by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Air Commodore Harvey), which would have a very considerable bearing on the matter?

I should not like the House to believe that at the present stage of F.I.D.O. experiments it could be regarded as wholly safe. One has not only to bring one's aircraft down; one has also to be able to bring it in to land safely, and if there is only a narrow area which is cleared of fog, there may be difficulties if one runs off the runway into the fog. It is because of that sort of thing that my right hon. Friend is right to seek an accurate assessment before putting the apparatus on the market for commercial use of any sort.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will give an approximate date when a commencement will be made on the building of the underground motor garage at London Airport.

No, Sir.

May I ask the Minister to pay special attention to the need for an underground motor garage at London Airport, the need for which is very urgent? Can the Minister announce a date when the project will be commenced?

I think it is more likely that an above-ground multi-storey car park will have to be built. That cannot be planned in isolation. The planning of the centre area layout is now under active consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the new regulations for the traffic airways will be put into effect; and what interim action has been taken to minimise the risk of collision.

I am consulting the principal civil users of the air on this problem. Their views will be urgently studied with the flying Departments, and I shall bring the necessary changes into effect as soon as possible.

In the meantime, civil pilots are being reminded by Notice to Airmen of the importance of maintaining a good lookout, even when flying under air traffic control clearances. I also propose to increase the visibility and cloud clearances governing visual flight rules, and on this my Department is discussing concerted action with other European countries. I understand that the Service Departments have already taken action along these lines, and have prohibited any manœuvre within the airways, irrespective of the weather, which would seriously restrict the pilot's view.

Might I express appreciation of the fact that the Minister has used the word "urgent"? There is definitely an element of urgency about the problem. Can he assure the House, as he appeared to be doing in the latter part of his Answer, that there is no reluctance on the part of Service Ministries to accept proper control to ensure safety for both Service and civil users?

Everybody concerned—I mean everybody—is co-operating very well, but it is a very difficult problem. In the meantime, the very considerable increase in the visual flight rules may help a little. However, we have to solve the main problem. and all are doing their best.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will introduce legislation amending Section 2 (4) and Part III of the Transport Charges, etc. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1954, to limit its application to municipally-owned transport undertakings and to exclude privately-owned independent statutory undertakings from its provisions which permit the raising of fares without reference to the licensing authorities.

No, Sir. So far as I know there is only one privately-owned undertaking which can take advantage of these provisions, and I have no evidence that it is abusing the position.

When the Bill was passing through the House, were not hon. Members given to understand that this provision would apply only to certain local authorities? Is it not a fact that the company to which the right hon. Gentleman refers, the Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company, raised its fares on 1st January, 1956, that it did not have to refer to either the licensing authority or the Minister, and that the local councils concerned have no right of objection? What opportunity have the passengers to object to the increase in fares when they are given no protection?

It is only fair to the company to say that it merely added 1d. to certain workmen's fares. Therefore, I do not think that it is abusing its position. I could not at the moment undertake to legislate for the sake of the one company.

As it has been discovered, since the Bill passed through the House, that this company can take advantage of the provision, can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that there are no other companies which are likely to discover that they come within the terms of the provision?

As I am advised at the moment, this is the only company affected.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what representations he has received from river boards alleging neglect of their responsibilities by the British Transport Commission in regard to the maintenance of river banks; and what general directions he has given as a result.

None, Sir.

Do I take it from the right hon. Gentleman's reply that he has received no representations from the Yorkshire Ouse River Board complaining that the British Transport Commission is neglecting to maintain the banks of the River Ouse below Goole? Is he prepared to receive representations from me putting the case forward?

Yes, Sir, certainly.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what experiments have been made by his Department in the use of helicopters for the direction of road traffic in and out of our large cities and coastal resorts during the peak hours of traffic; and if they will be continued during the summer period.

Traffic control is primarily a matter for the police, and I understand that a number of police forces have on occasion used helicopters to assist in controlling crowds and traffic.

Is the Minister aware that such is the traffic from our large cities to our coastal resorts during the summer period that if something is not done very shortly there will be chaos everywhere? Will he do something to change the present system and control this traffic during the summer period?

As I have said, it is not my job primarily to control the traffic. I shall have certain proposals to put to the people concerned for the August holiday period, when we may well expect the densest traffic. I want to make it plain that it is not primarily my task to deal with traffic as such. That is a matter for the police.

In view of the anxiety that I feel for a large number of our colleagues today, can my right hon. Friend give an assurance that hclicopter control is being used over Epsom?

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will now introduce legislation to make lighting-up time in the summer months half-an-hour after sunset.

I am considering making provision in the Road Traffic Bill now before Parliament for some change in the present lighting-up time arrangements.

Will my right hon. Friend impress on the noble Lord in charge of the Road Traffic Bill in the House of Lords the importance of getting, if possible, an Amendment into the Bill about lighting-up time?

That is what I have said I am considering.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what further proposals he has for the improvement of rural transport.

This matter was debated on 24th April since when, in relation to the point which I understand my hon. Friend has particularly in mind, I have been informed that the British Transport Commission is preparing to experiment with a further type of diesel rail car. It is hoped that trials will begin in August.

May I thank my right hon. Friend for taking practical steps to deal with a problem which affects a great many parts of the country; and may I ask whether, when the Ministry makes a decision on this experiment, careful watch will be kept on overheads, because it is the opinion of some of us that figures for overheads are not very reliable when applied to the running of any branch line?

It is clear that overheads have to be taken into account in considering the maintenance of any line, but we will certainly take into account what my hon. Friend has said.

Surely it is quite unnecessary to take into account the whole of one's overheads when one is considering a marginal activity?

The British Transport Commission is considering the question of keeping open one particular line. In regard to marginal activities, it takes into account only marginal overheads.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many fewer vehicles representing 36,000 tons unladen weight than the 7,750 originally proposed, it is now proposed should be retained by the British Transport Commission.

One hundred and one, Sir, under the Commission's present proposals.

Why is it that when the Bill was going through the House hon. Members were not informed that the Government had decided that the Commission was not to be allowed to retain vehicles up to the number recommended by Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve? Is it not a fact that, since the Government have decided that they shall not have licences for 7½ per cent. of the retained vehicles, and now they have whittled down the number of vehicles to be retained by a further 101, the Commission will be allowed to retain only 7,067 instead of 7,750?

The hon. Member is looking this gift horse rather too closely in the mouth. The fact is that the Commission can still keep that number of lorries, if it wishes to do so. It is still able to do so. It will merely mean that it will have to change the tonnage of some of the lorries.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will, in addition to making it an offence to eject oil and oily water into the sea within certain distances from the coast, an offence which can rarely be detected, also take steps to make it compulsory for all oil-carrying and oil-burning vessels using British ports to be equipped with efficient oil separators in order to reduce the danger to sea birds, shell fish and our beaches.

I propose to make Regulations under the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1955, requiring dry-cargo ships registered in the United Kingdom which use their fuel tanks for water ballast to be equipped with oily water separators. Such apparatus is not necessary in other classes of ships. I do not propose at present to extend the requirement to ships of other flags when using our ports.

Will not the Minister insist on the installation of these separators not only in oil-burning but oil-carrying vessels? The ship owners up to now have protested because of the expense—that it is uneconomic—but the expense to the local authorities of cleaning the beaches and the loss of our birds and fishes is very serious. The Minister ought to give serious consideration to the problem.

The hon. Gentleman had better study the Regulations, and then perhaps he would like to put down another Question.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when he will be ready to make regulations, under the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, to prevent the discharge of oil in the sea.

Within the next few days I shall make the necessary Order to bring into operation the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1955, and also make a number of Regulations under it. The Order and Regulations will not, however, become operative for three months because advance advice of their provisions must be given to the masters of United Kingdom registered ships where-ever they may be.

May I congratulate the Minister on the United Kingdom being the first of the forty nations at the last conference to sign this Convention and to issue Regulations? May I ask the Minister whether he is aware that, even though he has gone so far, there will still be a very considerable problem until other nations have ratified, and that, even then, until we get total prohibition of the discharge of oil into the water we cannot expect complete satisfaction?

I quite agree. This is only the beginning of the task but, as the hon. Gentleman kindly said, it is a good beginning. I am grateful to him and to his Committee, which has done so much to bring public opinion to bear on this question. If that work can go on, I hope that, combined with these Regulations, a sensible improvement will result.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether he has had time to read a letter which I sent last week reporting a fresh influx of oil at Newquay, and may I inform him that I have received a similar report today from Bude? Can my right hon. Friend say whether these Regulations will serve to protect our shores from oil during the present season?

The answer is that at the moment there are bound to be some influxes of oil, but I am advised that the general position along the north Cornish coast is better than it was, and that when these Regulations take effect, as they will start to take effect from the date on which they are laid because shipowners will be taking action, I think that we shall see an improvement.

May I ask the Minister to bear in mind that the oil pollution on the Cornish coast this year is very much worse than it was last year?

That has not been my advice, but I will certainly inquire into what the hon. Gentleman has suggested.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the low level of trade at present passing through Cardiff docks as compared with other ports; and what action he is taking to encourage a greater use of its facilities.

I am aware that Cardiff, like many other ports, has suffered from a loss of coal exports. As regards other traffic, it is for importers and exporters, in co-operation with shipowners, to choose the ports they use. I cannot influence them in favour of a particular port, but the British Transport Commission, and local interests are, I know, doing all they can to encourage the use of Cardiff docks.

Is the Minister aware that Cardiff dock workers are quite unable to understand why they should be unemployed at a time when other ports are congested? Can the right hon. Gentleman give any reason why that should be so, and what can be done to put it right?

I have given the reason. Unfortunately, the prime reason is the loss of coal exports, for which the port was primarily designed. It is only fair to say that the British Transport Commission and the other local interests, as I think the hon. Gentleman knows, have been trying to find some replacement for that loss of traffic. As it is the loss of traffic of a basic export, it is a very difficult job to do.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether or not he accepts for the Government some responsibility to help a port which for generations has contributed so richly to the wealth of the country, and which, through changes in economic circumstances, now finds itself in this position? Would not he accept the responsibility of approaching ship owners and asking them to use the facilities of this splendid port?

A great deal has been done. Do I take it that the right hon. Gentleman is really saying that Cardiff will never regain any coal exports because there will never be any coal to export?

It may be that as part of our national policy we find it better to use the coal at home and derive more advantage from it, but that ought not to prevent the Minister from doing something to help Cardiff.

asked the Minister of Defence if he has considered the recent announcement of the Soviet Government of their intention to reduce their armed forces by 1,200,000; and, if, in view of this further lessening of international tension, Her Majesty's Government will make a similar gesture especially favouring a speedy ending of compulsory National Service.

I would refer to the reply which I gave on 30th May to the right hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell) and the hon. Member for Birmingham, All Saints (Mr. D. Howell).

Do not those replies mean that the Government are not considering any further reduction in the Armed Forces beyond what was decided upon before Russia made this announcement? In view of the fact that this reduction of 1,200,000 is the largest reduction that has ever been proposed, is not it worthy of a gesture which would meet the situation and lead us nearer to disarmament?

The first thing I would say is that, as I pointed out on 30th May, we are already engaged on a substantial reduction of our Armed Forces. Next I said, and I say again, that I do not think it would be right to make any further gesture or move now until we have ascertained the effect of the changes—we hope, changes in recruitment and prolongation of engagements.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will take steps to abolish the call-up of National Service men for the fifteen days' annual training.

The policy of Her Majesty's Government remains as set out in the White Paper on National Service, Cmd. 9608.

Arising out of that reply, will the Minister give serious consideration to the whole question of the dislocation of family life, industry and commerce, and also the financial expense to the nation? Is it worth retaining this period of fifteen clays' annual training?

It is important that we should not give up the annual training period—it is twenty days rather than fifteen—because it has certainly been found to be necessary in some Services.

Is the Minister aware that only the other day his colleague, the Minister of Labour and National Service, stated from that Bench that it was no longer the policy of the Government to continue National Service for the original purpose of training large bodies of reserves? If that is so, what is the purpose of retaining the fifteen days' training period? Is the Minister aware that most of the time occupied by the men concerned is completely wasted?

It is quite clearly essential that we should be able to get hold of a certain number of them. For instance, in the case of the Royal Navy, linguists and communication specialists are called up for a period. The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force do not find it necessary to call up so many as the Army do, but as matters stand at present the Army needs these reservists to be available.

Will the Minister be good enough to make some investigation into this matter? Is it not clear that he is not completely informed upon the matter, and that he might have some consultations with his right hon. Friends in the Service Departments? The whole matter is a waste of time.

I am always grateful to the right hon. Gentleman when he informs me of things about which I am inadequately informed. I will certainly take his advice and consult my colleagues.

asked the Minister of Defence to state the policy of Her Majesty's Government about the export of arms to Western Germany.

It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to assist Western Germany, by the supply of military equipment and by other means, to raise, train and equip the forces which it has been agreed that she should contribute to the defence of the North Atlantic community.

I am glad that the right hon. and learned Gentleman has come off the perch which he occupied when I last put the Question to him, and has admitted that we are either sending arms to Germany or contemplate doing so. Would he now reply to the question which I originally put? Is it intended that Germany should pay for the arms, and that we should resolve the problem of the cost of British occupation troops in Germany before we export arms to her?

The reply to the first part of that supplementary question is that it is proposed that these supplies of arms should be upon a commercial basis and not by way of preferential treatment for Western Germany. As to the other part of the supplementary question, negotiations are still taking place, and I have nothing to add.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will obtain from the United Kingdom North Atlantic Treaty Organisation representative a statement of the length of compulsory national service in each of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries.

Yes, Sir. As the Answer consists of a table, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Would the Minister include in the statement which he proposes to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the intentions of the West German Government as to the period of national service?

I do not think that I can do that at present, because I have already prepared the table, but if the right hon. Gentleman wants to know some facts about the matter I will certainly do my best to inform him.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will cause the Service Departments to examine their arrangements for trooping Service families to see whether the air trooping can be concentrated into certain months so that the Air Ministry may consider some scheme by which modern passenger aircraft can be used by them for trooping in the months in which the demand for passenger space on ordinary commercial routes is low, and these modern aircraft can be used by the nationalised air corporations, or by private operators, for ordinary passenger services in the months in which the demand for such space is high.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air explained in reply to the hon. Member on 30th May, the trooping programme is a continuous one throughout the year. and it would be neither desirable nor practicable to concentrate the air trooping of Service families into certain months.

As that will not be done, and no such investigation will be made, what will the Minister of Defence do so to arrange trooping that Service families are carried in the modern aircraft that they deserve? The Air Ministry's present policy is such that that will not happen.

I was dealing with the question whether we could make any contribution to this question by a spreadover, and I am satisfied that that would not be a practicable way of dealing with the problem. The House should be aware that invitations to tender for air trooping contracts lay down standards of safety, comfort, etc.. and I have no reason to think that they are not being complied with.

asked the Minister of Defence if he is aware that Britain spends 9 per cent. of the national product on defence compared with an average of 5 per cent. spent by other West European countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; and if Her Majesty's Government will now reduce defence expenditure to this lower average in view of the fact that the country's trade balance would thereby be transformed and that the reduction would enable Income Tax to be halved.

I am aware that the percentage of gross national product spent on defence is considerably higher in the United Kingdom than in most other Western European countries in N.A.T.O. The United Kingdom's expenditure on defence cannot be settled solely by relation to the expenditure of other countries it must depend primarily on the commitments which its Armed Forces have to carry out.

is the Minister aware that the Chancellor of the Exchequer recently told the foreign Press that if he could knock off £700 million of his defence expenditure he would solve the whole problem of our balance of payments? Does not the right hon. and learned Gentleman think that he could do something to help the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his economic dilemma?

I could hope to solve all my own economic dilemmas if I could get rid of a whole lot of commitments which I cannot escape.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the access to the files of the Special Operations Executive granted to the author of a book, details of which have been sent to him, on what date the files were closed to other writers and on what grounds.

Special Operations Executive files have at no time been generally available to authors in the sense which the hon. Lady implies. The grant of access on the occasion in November, 1947, to which she refers was subsequently considered to have been ill-advised in respect of precedent, and for reasons of security no further access has been or can be allowed.

I thank my hon. Friend for that information, but would it interest him to know that the files were closed in 1952, after the publication of the "Starr Affair"? Will he kindly explain the relationship of the "Starr Affair" to the closing of the files, which would be of great interest to many people, because it has nothing to do with security at all, the book having gone through the usual security channels?

I have answered the hon. Lady's Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the verbatim reports of previous sittings of the United Nations Disarmament Sub-Committee have been published and that a reading of those verbatim records has been essential to the proper understanding of the respective positions of the nations represented at these meetings, he will reconsider his decision not to publish the verbatim records of the most recent and important meetings.

No, Sir. The expenditure involved in publishing the verbatim records as a White Paper would not be justifiable. Copies of the verbatim records are available in the Library of the House. Copies are also available at the United Nations Information Centre it London.

Is this not a curious economy to impose? Is it not a fact that in previous White Papers the position, as stated, has involved a certain amount of propaganda for the proposals put forward by the Western countries, and that it would be quite impossible to follow the proceedings completely unless the verbatim records had been read? In that case, would not the Foreign Office consider this to be a somewhat niggardly economy? For the proper appreciation of the subject could we not have the verbatim reports more widely circulated?

No. We think that this economy is worth making, and these records are available, as I have said.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now make a statement on the recent discussions of the Security Council on the Secretary-General's Report on the Middle East.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress has been made with regard to the Security Council's deliberations on the Secretary-General's Report on the Middle East.

I am glad to say that on 4th June, the Security Council unanimously adopted, with certain minor amendments, the draft Resolution submitted by the United Kingdom delegate. This was designed to follow up the Secretary-General's recent efforts to secure full implementation of the armistice agreements, to support General Burns in his task of supervising the cease-fire and to,call upon the parties to the armistice agreements to take steps to increase confidence in the area.

The Secretary of State has not made any reference to the acceptance by the British representative of the proposal to delete the words referring to the need for a peaceful settlement on a mutually acceptable basis. Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman explain to the House why it was found necessary to accept that proposition? Will he make clear that, in spite of that deletion, it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to take further steps in order to secure a peaceful settlement, and may we know what are those steps?

I am grateful to the right hon. and learned Gentleman for putting that Question. It is quite true that Her Majesty's representative did agree to delete a certain paragraph from the preamble. The main purpose of that was to get a unanimous Resolution, which he succeeded in getting. On this very controversial topic I think it of some importance that we should try to proceed with unanimity, if that be possible. Regarding the content of that paragraph, in the view of the Government it is a statement of the obvious. There will be no settlement unless it is mutually acceptable, and that is the reason why we agreed not to make an issue of it. I think that the mission of the Secretary-General was a success, and when this Resolution is considered it will be seen that it consolidates it and calls for certain things with regard to freedom of movement for the observers and so on. If it is implemented, it will help us towards the next step, which will be the seeking of a settlement.

Does not the right hon. and learned Gentleman consider this a major amendment and not a minor amendment at all, and that it strikes at the very root of the situation prevailing in the Middle East? In the circumstances, is it not perfectly clear that the Arab agitation regarding the removal of these words is of such a nature as to indicate, not only that they are at war, but that they intend to continue to be at war and to do whatever they can to make effective the war against Israel? In those circumstances, does not the Minister think he should consult the other members of the Tripartite Declaration to see what is to be done?

I am sorry that the hon. Member has asked that question, and injected that matter. It is of tremendous importance that we should try to proceed on the highest common factor of agreement. The whole trouble with this problem is that it has been bedevilled by controversy. This Resolution is a measure of agreement which is a step forward. It is a consolidation of the Report of the Secretary-General, and I think that it was important to try to get unanimity.

Does not the right hon. and learned Gentleman feel that there are times when the price of unanimous agreement is too high, even at the United Nations? Was not the paragraph which the British delegate withdrew, and which said,

"Conscious of the need to create conditions in which a peaceful settlement on a mutually acceptable basis of the dispute between the parties can be made"

very important? Is it not the case that the Syrian delegate indicated that there could be no question of mutual agreement which satisfied the State of Israel? Does he not feel that it would have been very much better for the British Government to have stuck to their guns and tested the United Nations on this particular qualification?

The right hon. Gentleman began by asking whether I felt that on occasions to give up something was too high a price to pay for unanimity. This paragraph was a statement of the obvious. There will be no settlement in fact—whether this is obvious or not to certain Governments—unless it is mutually acceptable. Certain Governments sought to make an issue of prestige of this Clause in the Preamble, and read into it the meaning that in some way it affected previous resolutions of the United Nations. They put a gloss upon it, which in my view it was not right to put. In all the circumstances, I think that it was right to try to get unanimity on the rest of the Resolution.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman make this point clear? Is it the policy of Her Majesty's Government to take further action, together with other Governments, to secure a peaceful settlement as soon as possible?

Indeed it is, and the first step was the mission of the Secretary-General. The second step, we hope, will be what will flow from the Resolution. We shall continue trying to create conditions in which a settlement will be possible.

Does the Foreign Secretary recall that, in answering a Question on this Resolution last week, he spoke of further progress which he thought could be detailed, so he implied, in the Resolution? Is it not plain that in fact it was the proposal, this paragraph 6 referring to the need to create conditions for a peaceful settlement, which the right hon. and learned Gentleman had in mind when he was speaking of further progress? How can he describe the omission of the paragraph as a minor Amendment? Is it not also perfectly clear that the reason it was dropped was the strong opposition of the Arab States, who are not members of the Security Council, which was unfortunately supported by Soviet Russia, although the words of the paragraph were the very words used in the communiqué after the visit of Mr. Bulganin and Mr. Khrushchev?

Whether this was a minor Amendment or not, the fact is that certain countries put a gloss upon these words, a gloss which I do not think the words expressly deserve. So far as the position of the Security Council is concerned, it was the representative of Iran—which is a member of the Security Council—who moved the Amendment to delete these words. We adhere to the position that it is necessary to have a settlement on a mutually acceptable basis That is the opinion of the Soviet Government, so far as we know, and as it was stated in the London communiqué. We adhere to that position. I still maintain, in view of all the controversy which has bedevilled this matter, that it was right for us, because there is a good deal of practical work which can be done following upon this Resolution, to get that unanimity.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will instruct his representative at the United Nations to support the proposal of the French Government for the establishment of a United Nations Fund for Economic Development.

The right hon. and learned Member is presumably referring to the French proposal made in the North Atlantic Council for a World Economic Development Agency. This proposal is under consideration by us and our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Allies.

Will Her Majesty's Government give sympathetic consideration to this proposal? Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman not agree that international agreement providing for cuts in all defence budgets would serve two purposes: first, it would make a contribution to the solution of the disarmament problem and—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."]—second, it would enable the United Nations to start the work of developing the undeveloped countries? May I ask—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."]—I try to keep my questions as short as possible—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Mr. Speaker, is it not possible to protect hon. Members from the interruptions from the other side of the House?

I do not think that the right hon. and learned Gentleman has too much of which to complain. Will the Foreign Secretary answer the Question as far as it has been asked?

The right hon. and learned Gentleman will be aware that we have in principle supported the establishment of a United Nations Development Fund. Of course, a practical difficulty is where the money will come from for the development to take place, or for the fund to be put into being. It must definitely have some relationship with disarmament, but I am not aware that in fact that relationship is specified in Mr. Pineau's plan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further representations have been made to Spain in respect of that country's unfriendly attitude to Gibraltar; and what indication of improvement in this connection has been noted.

Except that it is now possible for foreign residents in Spain to travel to Gibraltar and back via Algeciras there has been no change in the Spanish Government's policy towards Gibraltar since the hon. Member raised this question in the House on 15th February.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman explain why, for so long, the Government have been so ineffective in looking after the interests of an intensely loyal part of the Commonwealth? Since the Micawber-like policy of the Government has completely failed in this respect, cannot we now have some action which will give hope to our friends and show the rest of the world that it pays to be in the British Commonwealth?

I think that a number of these restrictions are very petty. We have steadily sought an alleviation, and in one or two respects there has been an alleviation. We shall continue to try to get more.

Does not my right hon. and learned Friend think that it is conceivably possible that the extraordinary and unfriendly attitude of the Opposition, and the partially unfriendly attitude of the Government, towards Spain has had some effect upon the unfriendly attitude of Spain toward Gibraltar?

I shall speak only for the Government. It has been our policy to try to improve relations with Spain, and that has been achieved to a considerable extent. I would hope that the Spanish Government realise that one of the obstacles to an improvement in those relations are the petty restrictions affecting Gibraltar.

In view of the fact that Spain's economic existence depends almost entirely upon American dollars, would the Minister consider approaching the United States Government, at least informally, and asking them to associate themselves with our representations to Spain in this matter?

I really do not think that that would have much effect upon the Spanish Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, before returning to the Bonn Government the original captured German archives relating to the outbreak of the last war, he will arrange for copies and microfilms to be made available to the principal British libraries.

The principal documents of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs relating to the period in question have already been published both in the original and in English translation by Her Majesty's Government, together with the United States and French Governments. Copies of the volumes in question are available for purchase by libraries. Photostats or microfilms of the documents have been or will be placed in the Public Record Office, where they will be generally available.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that I am obliged to him for that Answer? Is he aware that these documents are of great historical importance? In particular, is he aware that those documents, which show the then Conservative Prime Minister and his emissaries, in the summer of 1939, dismissing the right hon. Member for Woodford (Sir W. Churchill) as of no political importance; offering Hitler a condominium in Africa—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."]—and asking the assistance of Hitler—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."]—in "dishing" the Labour Party at a snap General Election, are of political and psychological importance?

I think that goes rather beyond the Question on the Order Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that any documents handed over to the Federal German Government will be microfilmed for preservation in this country.

Arrangements have been made for all the principal German documents held by Her Majesty's Government to be microfilmed before return to the Federal Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has received from the Japanese Government with reference to the fall of atomic rain following the recent British atomic bomb detonations; and what reply he has sent with reference to the matter.

I have received no such representations.

Whether or not the right hon. and learned Gentleman has received representations, does not he know that it was announced by the B.B.C. that this had happened; and that there is a school of scientists who believe that these experiments are a menace to the foundation of human life on the whole planet? Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman look into the matter as one of the most important things happening today?

The hon. Gentleman asked me what representations I had received from the Japanese Government with regard to this matter. The answer is, "None," and therefore no reply has been sent.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of those goods, the export of which from this country is at present prohibited on strategic grounds, which are now being dealt with under the exceptional procedure by member States of the coordinating committee, and which have been reported to that committee.

No, Sir. The details of exports dealt with under the exceptions procedure of the Consultative Group are confidential.

Assuming that there are good reasons for non-publication, will the right hon. and learned Gentleman follow up the wise decision recently made with regard to trade with China by making it possible for British manufacturers to export those goods now on the strategic list and which are included in the recent Franco-Soviet trade agreement?

The question of the Franco-Soviet trade agreement is another matter. I do not know of any difficulties, but if any firm is in difficulty it should communicate with the Board of Trade, and I think it will get the necessary information.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what official representations he has received from the United States Secretary of State concerning a solution through the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation of the Cyprus problem.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the nature of the official representations made to him by the United States Government regarding the effect of the Cyprus situation on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

No such representations have been received.

In view of the fact that the American Secretary of State has publicly suggested recently that N.A.T.O. should be used to deal with the Cyprus problem; that on Saturday the British Prime Minister admitted, at last, that Cyprus is an international and not purely a national question; and that all the N.A.T.O. countries have the same interest as Great Britain in safeguarding the supplies of Middle East oil; will not the Foreign Secretary consider using N.A.T.O. to solve this tragic problem which at present threatens to wreck the whole of the N.A.T.O. activities in the eastern Mediterranean?

If the hon. Gentleman reads again what was said by the American Secretary of State he will find that Mr. Dulles made it clear that he was dealing with a hypothetical situation, and that his remarks did not apply to the present situation. No useful purpose would be served by referring the present situation to N.A.T.O. at the moment.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman saying that no discussions of any kind about Cyprus have taken place within the framework of N.A.T.O.?

The Question deals with what official representations have been received from the United States Secretary of State.

In view of the fact that the Prime Minister recently said that the question of Cyprus was the question of Middle East oil, and in view of the fact that the Americans are as intensely interested in the Middle East oil as we are, is it not right and proper that the N.A.T.O. organisation should be used among the Allies to deal with the question of Cyprus?

The matter to consider is how best we may get results. My own view is that at present it would be a mistake and not an advantage to refer the matter to N.A.T.O.

On a point of order. When I tabled my Question I did not include the word "official" before the word "representations". That word was inserted by the Table Office, and I was given the explanation that it was necessary. I see that in Question No. 31 the word "official" was not inserted before the word "representations". Am I to understand that there is some political difference between the representations made in the first case and in the second?

That question rather beats me at the moment. A Question must relate to a Minister's responsibility, and it may be that in the second Question official representations are necessary to put that responsibility on the Minister. But I must confess that I should need to study this point a little longer to see what the answer is.

May it not also be that the Foreign Office has received unofficial representations, but does not want to admit it?

I think I was correct in what I said. Before a Minister becomes responsible for answering about representations from another Government, they must be official representations, and not merely representations from someone. In the one case the reference is to the Japanese Government, and that implies that the representations are official, because they come from the Government. In the way in which the hon. Member has worded his Question it says the representations come from the United States Secretary of State, and they may not necessarily be the views of the United States Government as a whole.

May I relieve the minds of hon. Members by saying that I have received neither official nor unofficial representations from the American Secretary of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will ascertain from the United Kingdom North Atlantic Treaty Organisation representative the financial contributions being made to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's Central Organisation by each of the member countries, showing the actual and the per capita amounts.

National contributions to the various North Atlantic Treaty Organisation budgets are fixed by agreement among all the member countries. They are, however, confidential, and each country retains authority for the publication of its own figures.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in a recent statement from the Turkish Embassy it was alleged that the Turkish contribution was far in excess of the Greek Government's contribution? Is there any foundation for that statement?

I must stand by the Answer which I have given. I do not know about anybody else's statements about anybody else.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why women serving in the Foreign Service are dismissed on the occasion of marriage; and if he will bring the practice of his Department into line with other branches of the Civil Service in this respect.

There is no question of dismissal. The Foreign Service differs from the home Civil Service in that it normally imposes on its members an obligation to serve abroad at any time. There are obvious difficulties in the way of the fulfilment of this obligation by married women. My right hon. and learned Friend therefore has the power to require the resignation of women foreign servants on marriage, though he may in special circumstances permit them to continue in the Service. This procedure enables my right hon. and learned Friend to consider each case on its merits, and he sees no reason to change it.

If foreign service conflicts with married life, surely it should be for the person concerned to decide to resign, or to reach the decision when the foreign posting comes. Is it not rather unjust that the Foreign Service should pursue a policy in this regard different from that in any other Department? Moreover, would not a somewhat more practical and intelligent policy emerge if the staff included married women?

I cannot help thinking that when the hon. Member reads my original Answer, he will realise that his supplementary question is not fair or relevant.

In view of what has happened in recent years at the Foreign Office, would it not be advisable to retain the women and dismiss the men?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what British decorations to Greek citizens have been handed back to Her Majesty's representative in Athens; and what reasons were given to Her Majesty's representative.

Eight distinctions awarded to Greek subjects in recognition of their war-time services have been returned to Her Majesty's representative in Athens during the past two years as a form of protest against British policy in Cyprus.

Is the Joint Under-Secretary aware that this is a very saddening situation for this country? Even supposing that law and order is restored in Cyprus under the present policy of the British Government, what is his policy in future for Anglo-Greek relations?

That question is very different from the one on the Order Paper.

It is a much larger question than that of decorations.

The whole question of handing back these decorations, including one from a Foreign Minister of Greece—

Order. The hon. Member asked about decorations and then asked in his supplementary question about future policy on Anglo-Greek relations. I do not see that that hangs on a Question about decorations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what request he has received from the Government of the People's Republic of China for the establishment of relations with the Government of Hong Kong; and what answer has been returned.