§ 46. Mr. de Freitasasked the Prime Minister which members of the Air Council were present at his discussions with President Eisenhower on the supply to the Royal Air Force of United States guided missiles.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)None, Sir.
§ Mr. de FreitasIf the Air Council is to operate guided missiles, should it not be consulted on this? Is it not a fact that the Air Council has not advised any policy under which unproved American guided missiles should be the basis of the Air Force, especially as they will be unarmed until the American Government of the day say that they should be armed?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. The views of the Secretary of State for Air and those of his advisers were well known to me and taken into account. I had also the advice of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence.
§ Mr. de FreitasIs it not a fact that this new policy will result in a most 30 important section of our Air Force being far less independent of the United States than even Chiang Kai-shek?
§ The Prime MinisterOh, no, Sir. That is a quite fantastic statement. It will, however, be possible to debate it to some extent today in the debate on the agreements reached at Bermuda, and, of course, at greater length in the defence debates.