asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an undertaking, in connection with the agreement to be negotiated under the Atlantic Pact, that no commitment will be entered into by His Majesty's Government outside the framework of the United Nations organisation.

Any agreements negotiated under the North Atlantic Treaty will of course be governed by the provisions of the Treaty itself, Article 7 of which states that: This Treaty does not affect, and shall not be interpreted as affecting, in any way the rights and obligations under the Charter of the Parties which are members of the United Nations, or the primary responsibility of the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security.

We all know that the pact is not within sight of the spirit of the United Nations organisation. Will my hon. Friend take great pains to see that these bilateral treaties do come within the spirit of the United Nations?

Since the assumption is incorrect, that action would not be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an undertaking, in connection with the agreement to be negotiated under the Atlantic Pact, that he will not surrender to any other Power or body the right to declare war on behalf of Great Britain and will not enter into any commitment whereby Great Britain can become automatically involved in war.

It is the prerogative of the Crown to declare war, and I can assure the hon. Member that His Majesty's Government will not surrender this right to any other Power or body. By Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty the United Kingdom is committed, in the event of an armed attack on any of the parties in Europe or North America, to take such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area. Any supplementary agreements or arrangements which may be negotiated under the treaty Will not increase or diminish this commitment.

We all know that the terms of the first of these bilateral treaties are now being negotiated between France and the United States of America. Can we have an assurance that the terms that we shall agree to, will not be more degrading and humiliating than those now being imposed upon France?