asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what official request he has received from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to vary the terms of the Western European Union Treaty to enable the German Government to manufacture all or part of the Hawk guided missiles.

In accordance with the terms of the Revised Brussels Treaty, the Supreme Allied Commander has recommended the Council of Western European Union to make certain modifications in the Treaty, the effect of which would be to permit the Federal German Government to take part in the manufacture of Hawk missiles. As I said to the hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Warbey) on 13th July, the Council has now given its permission in principle.

I take it that there is no question of the Western German Government manufacturing the whole weapon? This being so, is it not rather a significant advance—perhaps the only advance that has been made—in interdependence between the Western European Union countries in the manufacture of weapon parts in each country? Has-Great Britain no part to play in this?

The answers to the first two parts of my hon. Friend's supplementary question are, "Yes, Sir".

Is this the thin end of the wedge? How long will it be before the Supreme Commander recommends that the Federal Government should be permitted to manufacture atomic weapons? What sort of nonsense is this?

The right hon. Gentleman is entirely wrong. This is not the thin end of any wedge. This is a defensive weapon which is being made in cooperation with other countries in the West. It is a weapon which has no atomic connotation at all.

Was this action taken on the initiative of the Supreme Commander himself or at a political level?

This sort of action has to be initiated by the Supreme Commander himself.