Oral Answers to Questions — Germany – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 14 Rhagfyr 1964.
Mr. Campbell:
asked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs what proposals Her Majesty's Government have for disengagement in Europe; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Walter Padley
, Ogwr
Her Majesty's Government are in favour of any measure which would help to reduce tension and increase security in Europe, provided that it would not weaken the Western Alliance or make more difficult the solution of the German problem. Any controlled reduction of forces in Europe would have to meet these criteria, and Her Majesty's Government at all times would have to act in close consultation and unity with her allies.
Mr Walter Padley
, Ogwr
The answer to the latter part of that supplementary question is, "Yes, certainly". As to the first part, the hon. Member would do well to await the debate in this House on Wednesday and Thursday and in Another place on Thursday, when he will see the unfolding of Her Majesty's Government's policy. The importance we attach to this issue is shown by the appointment of a Minister of State responsible for disarmament negotiations.
Mr James Scott-Hopkins
, North Cornwall
Does not the hon. Gentleman agree that disarmament without inspection would be quite intolerable?
Mr Walter Padley
, Ogwr
Any satisfactory scheme for international disarmament will inevitably involve control and inspection.
Mr R.A. Butler
, Saffron Walden
Are the Government engaged in any conversations with our allies on these matters? While I approve the general lines of the hon. Member's statement, I should like to know the answer to that.
Mr Walter Padley
, Ogwr
I simply confirm what I said in my reply. Her Majesty's Government will at all times act in close consultation and unity with her allies.
Mr David Ennals
, Dover
Is my hon. Friend giving further consideration to the Gomulka Plan for a freeze of nuclear weapons in Central Europe? Can we hope that there will be some indication of the Government attitude in this respect in the debate later this week?
Mr Walter Padley
, Ogwr
As my hon. Friend knows, our N.A.T.O. allies see a number of objections to these proposals on political, military and technical grounds, but we shall he prepared carefully to examine any further proposals which the Polish Government might care to make with a view to improving East-West relations and bringing about further progress towards disarmament.
Mr Peter Thomas
, Conway
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that his last answer is similar in every word to an answer which I gave to the House a few months ago?
Mr Walter Padley
, Ogwr
As the right hon. Gentleman is aware, there is at least a difference of emphasis between the approach of the present Government and that of the Government defeated at the General Election.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
During a debate members of the House of Commons traditionally refer to the House of Lords as 'another place' or 'the other place'.
Peers return the gesture when they speak of the Commons in the same way.
This arcane form of address is something the Labour Government has been reviewing as part of its programme to modernise the Houses of Parliament.
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