asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to secure the resumption of work by the Disarmament Sub-Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the official communication to Her Majesty's Government by the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics that it does not intend to take part in future discussions in the United Nations Disarmament Commission, he will make a statement as to the intentions of Her Majesty's Government, including the formulation of new disarmament proposals.

The Disarmament Commission is to be expanded to 25 members after 1st January. I hope that the Soviet. Government will reconsider its refusal to attend the Commission's meetings. As regards new proposals, Her Majesty's Government believe that the Western Powers' proposals for partial disarmament, which were recently endorsed by 57 countries of the United Nations, offer a sound basis for further negotiation.

Do I understand from that that the Minister will do everything possible to ensure that the Disarmament Sub-Committee is able to resume its sessions? Does he agree that it offers the best hope of reducing world tension?

I think that there is a very important rôle to be played by an enlarged Disarmament Commission, but I also favour the continuance of the Disarmament Sub-Committee.

Are these discussions to be held in the open?

The discussions of the Disarmament Commission, yes. They always have been.

In view of the importance of ending the present deadlock, may we take it that Her Majesty's Government will be willing to participate in discussions with the Soviet Government in order to seek to persuade them once again to take their place at the meetings of the Disarmament Sub-Committee? May we further take it that the so-called Western Plan would be only a basis for discussion, and that there is no question of Russia's having to take it or leave it?

With regard to the first part of the right hon. and learned Gentleman's supplementary, I think that considerable efforts of persuasion have already been made in the United Nations during the debates. I personally hope very much that this Russian attitude, that they will not attend meetings of an enlarged Disarmament Commission, is only a temporary one. So far as the other part of the supplementary question is concerned, I have said that the Western proposals offer a sound basis for further negotiation.