Mr James Hutchison: 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.
Mr James Hutchison: 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?
Mr James Hutchison: The right hon. Gentleman for Huyton (Mr. H. Wilson) has already expressed the welcome with which this announcement will be received by members of the party opposite. Is he aware that the successful outcome of what must have been extremely difficult and delicate negotiations will be welcomed in a much wider area than merely the benches opposite, perhaps in a wider area than even this country?
Mr James Hutchison: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker—[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear hear."] As the right hon. Member for Blyth (Mr. Robens) has indicated that hon. Members on these benches were plunderers and as the right hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell) indicated, or said, that hon. Members on these benches had alrealy stolen all the coal—[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]—may we not at last call quits in this...
Mr James Hutchison: In view of the fact, as my right hon. Friend has said, that it is important that we should keep in mind the possibility of moving towards association with the European Economic Community, has he any reason for thinking that these proposals will be welcomed or resented by the European Economic Community? Is the Community aware of them?
Mr James Hutchison: Even if the courtesies of the House did not suggest that I should congratulate the hon. Member for Penistone (Mr. Mendelson), who has just got over the very difficult obstacle of making his maiden speech here, I should want to do so. He delivered a speech that was interesting and assured, and if any new Member can do that in his maiden speech the road to the summit must be open to him. I...
Mr James Hutchison: No, it was not so. It was a plan to secure a club of leading non-nuclear Powers with the aim of preventing spread of the manufacture of nuclear weapons. It was opposed by the two leaders of the right hon. Gentleman's party in another place.
Mr James Hutchison: It was 11th February.
Mr James Hutchison: The next thing I should like to know from the right hon. Gentleman is: who formulates the policy of the party opposite? I have been very surprised and not a little concerned to see the apparent breathless anxiety with which the party opposite and a large section of the public hang upon the pronouncements that fall from the lips of prominent trade unionists on matters of defence policy. Are...
Mr James Hutchison: He was a very prominent leader in the National Union of Mineworkers. Are these the modern prototypes of the feudal barons? And which of the right hon. Gentlemen opposite would cast himself in the rôle of Henry Tudor to silence them? Would it be the right hon. Member for Ebbw Vale? The situation which has developed in this country, of highly regimented and disciplined bodies of trade...
Mr James Hutchison: asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent this country has been represented on the discussions which have been taking place on the control of Nile waters.
Mr James Hutchison: In view of this country's interest in the Nile waters, would it not be wise to have a repre- sentative at the early stages of these discussions—which, like my right hon. Friend, I welcome—because they could have very great importance in our relationship with both Sudan and Egypt?
Mr James Hutchison: This is quite inaccurate. It is often said that shipbuilding is subsidised, but if help was given to the ship-owning company to allow it to build, there was no subsidy to the shipbuilding yards.
Mr James Hutchison: Quite untrue.
Mr James Hutchison: The hon. Member was talking about shipbuilding.
Mr James Hutchison: I am saying that John Brown gets nothing.
Mr James Hutchison: The majority of the speeches which have been made this afternoon have had a strong constituency flavour, and I am neither competent, nor would I care to try, to criticise those things which have been said in that respect. But there were one or two rather more general subjects to which I should like to make reference. The question of subsidies for shipbuilding has been touched on by a variety...
Mr James Hutchison: I do not wish to give a definition of what I mean by a subsidy to the shipbuilding industry because we are not asking for one. It could take a dozen forms, but we do not want one. The other point on which I want to touch is the question of the position of advance factories, the distribution of industry and the attraction of industries to my country. I am as anxious as anybody else that this...
Mr James Hutchison: I do not think I need comment on that remark. Of course, I should like to be fair; hon. Members opposite did muscle in—
Mr James Hutchison: They came in with us and we both went together, but the ultimate credit must be given to those who had to contend with the Government and fight the battle in the Cabinet.
