asked the Secretary of State for Air, as representing the Secretary of State for Burma, what are the terms of the agreement on defence recently concluded between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Burma.

The terms of the agreement to which the hon. Member refers will be found as an annex to the Treaty concluded between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Burma which has been published today as Command Paper 7240, and of which copies are available in the Vote Office.

Has this agreement not been kept secret for far too long; and would the right hon. and learned Gentleman say why it is that this agreement signed on 29th August, which is an annex to a treaty signed on 17th October, should not have been published until today?

Length of time is, of course, relative. With regard to the second point, I do not really think the hon. Member has any serious objection. It is perhaps for convenience that the publication of this agreement should be tied up with the publication of the Treaty.

Whose convenience?