Guided Missiles (Hansard, 26 January 1955)

§ 40. Mr. de Freitas
asked the Undersecretary of State for Air what ground-to-air guided missiles are in service in the Royal Air Force.

Mr. Ward
None as yet, Sir, but good progress is being made with their development.

§ Mr. de Freitas
Will the Under-Secretary consult the Minister of Supply with a view to a full statement being made on the development and production of these guided missiles? Is he aware that the official journal of the Air League of the British Empire—certainly an impartial body—doubts whether security is the real reason for the continued silence on these matters? Is it not important that the public and this House should know the full facts about these missiles?

Mr. Ward
That, of course, is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply, but there will be full opportunity for debating this matter in the defence debate.

§ Mr. Shinwell
Does the same answer apply to air-to-air missiles? Is that the reason why the Hawker Hunter is armed with the cannon referred to in Question 39?

Mr. Ward
That is quite another question. This one refers to ground-to-air missiles.

§ Mr. Shinwell
But can the Minister reply to my supplementary question, which is a fair one? Does his answer about ground-to-air missiles also apply to air-to-air missiles?

Mr. Ward
If the right hon. Gentleman wants an answer about air-to-air guided missiles, perhaps he would be good enough to put a Question on the Order Paper.

Mr. C. I. Orr-Ewing
In answer to an earlier supplementary question, my hon. Friend stated that the Minister of Supply was responsible. Surely the Ministry of Supply is his purchasing agent and not his publicity agent? A little more information on this matter might be of considerable value to the public and would set at rest minds that are deeply disturbed.

§ Mr. Noel-Baker
Is it not a fact that the United States Armed Forces are already equipped with guided ground-to-air missiles which are in service now?

Mr. Ward
May I point out that what delay there has been is due to the decision taken in 1946–47 to delay the placing of development contracts?

§ Mr. de Freitas
Will the Minister address his mind to the point I raised about the journal of the Air League of the British Empire, which definitely doubts whether security is the real reason, and is it not making a charge, to be rebutted or admitted, that the Government are responsible for much of this delay and are hiding behind security?

Mr. Ward
There is no question of hiding behind security. The hon. Gentleman has been a Service Minister himself, and he knows how careful we have to be.

§ Mr. Callaghan
If there is no question of hiding behind security, why is it that the United States can give so much more information to their public about their programme than the Minister is giving to the British public? Is it not the case that Washington has batteries of these guided missiles defending it and that we have none, and when can we have some information and some weapons?

Mr. Ward
I am not responsible for the security arrangements of the United States.

§ Mr. Burden
May I ask my hon. Friend, no matter what promptings may come from either side of the House, to pay due regard to the security that is necessary?

§ Mr. Wigg
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that if he wants any information about British guided missiles, if he will go to the library of the American Embassy he can get what information he wants?