Mr Anthony Nutting: The speech of the right hon. Member for Woodford was not made in the Sub-Committee and, therefore, will not figure in the White Paper. As for the delay, it has taken some time to produce a consecutive and reasonably readable account of the Sub-Committee's proceedings, but there has been no intentional delay in any way.
Mr Anthony Nutting: As to the verbatim record, that is another reason why the White Paper has been slightly delayed. It would be an extremely expensive matter to publish the verbatim record as a White Paper. Therefore, I would hope that the House would be content to have the verbatim record made available in the Library and that a consecutive account of the Sub-Committee's proceedings should appear in the...
Mr Anthony Nutting: No, Sir. These discussions are not yet concluded. In the meantime, however, more use will be made of the exceptions procedure to permit reasonable exports in appropriate cases to China of goods which are not on the Soviet lists.
Mr Anthony Nutting: I have already answered the Question which the hon. Member has now repeated. I have said, "No, Sir. I am not prepared to make a statement about the talks with Mr. Dulles." The discussions are not yet concluded either with the United States or with other countries.
Mr Anthony Nutting: As I have just informed the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler), the discussions about strategic controls on trade with China are not yet concluded.
Mr Anthony Nutting: Yes, Sir. I did give that undertaking, but decisions as to what cases and what items will figure under the extended use of the exceptions procedure must be taken on the merits of the individual items concerned.
Mr Anthony Nutting: Yes, Sir, but I must also bear in mind that we must proceed in consultation with our friends and Allies.
Mr Anthony Nutting: As the list is somewhat long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Mr Anthony Nutting: I think the hon. Member had better sort out that rather involved supplementary question and put it on the Order Paper.
Mr Anthony Nutting: As is customary, this meeting was attended by Foreign Ministers only and was concerned primarily with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's non-military activities. Nevertheless, the Council noted that Soviet military power continues to increase and agreed that the Alliance must continue to give priority to the maintenance of their unity and strength.
Mr Anthony Nutting: The right hon. Gentleman had better put the question about a reduction of defence expenditure to the Minister of Defence. As I have informed him, this meeting was not concerned primarily with defence matters but, as is customary and was customary in the right hon. Gentleman's day, was concerned with the non-military activities of N.A.T.O.
Mr Anthony Nutting: The right hon. Gentleman asked me a question about reviewing defence expenditure. It was customary in his day, and it is certainly customary today, for the review of the Budget of the N.A.T.O. nations to take place at the December meeting and not at the meeting in the spring.
Mr Anthony Nutting: That is quite untrue; it is a popular misconception, if it exists. Speaking off the cuff, my recollection is that an appreciation of this kind was made after the annual review meeting of N.A.T.O. last December.
Mr Anthony Nutting: So far as military expenditure was concerned no specific reductions were proposed. As the hon. Gentleman knows, the military contributions of N.A.T.O. countries are reviewed at the December meeting of the N.A.T.O. Council. The recent meeting was concerned primarily with the non-military aspects of the North Atlantic Treaty.
Mr Anthony Nutting: So far as stopping violence is concerned, her Majesty's Government have never engaged in it. [HON. MEMBERS: "Cyprus".] So far as the reduction of the defence budgets is concerned, the hon. Gentleman will have read the N.A.T.O. communiqué which drew attention to the fact that Soviet military strength continues to increase.
Mr Anthony Nutting: As the right hon. and learned Gentleman will be aware, there is close and frequent consultation with our Allies on the question of arms supplies to the Middle East.
Mr Anthony Nutting: I do not think it would be in the public interest for me to go into the details of individual items which may or may not be on their way to Israel, or which may or may not be sanctioned as exports to Israel.
Mr Anthony Nutting: Of course, Mr. Speaker, and I have told the right hon. Gentleman that on a number of occasions in the House of Commons.
Mr Anthony Nutting: It is Her Majesty's Government's policy to maintain a balance of arms, and quality is taken into account.
Mr Anthony Nutting: There have been no discussions between Her Majesty's Government and the Egyptian Government