§ 45 and 46. Mr. Zilliacusasked the Prime Minister (1) whether he will give an assurance that he will, at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Conference on 15th December, oppose the use by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces of so-called tactical atomic weapons and insist that the use in any situation of atomic weapons of any description must he subject to prior Government approval in the same way as the use of the hydrogen bomb; 602 (2) why the Government have assented to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's forces being armed with tactical atomic weapons to be used on the immediate decision of their commanders in the same way as conventional arms; and what is the Government's definition, in terms of power, of a tactical atomic weapon that may be so used, as distinct from a strategic nuclear weapon that may be used only with the express approval of the Government.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary yesterday about responsibility for the use of tactical atomic weapons by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces.
§ Mr. ZilliacusMay I draw the Prime Minister's attention to the fact that the Questions asked for two things: first, an assurance that the Government will not commit the country to the use of tactical atomic weapons by N.A.T.O., of which we are a member, without bringing the matter before Parliament or consulting the electorate, and, secondly, what is the definition in N.A.T.O., with the assent of our Government, of a tactical atomic weapon?
Is it not a fact that the N.A.T.O. generals have declared that a tactical atomic weapon is any nuclear weapon up to two and a half times the power of the Hiroshima bomb and that such weapons, according to the N.A.T.O. generals, may be used on their own immediate decision by commanders in the field?
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. and learned Friend tried his best to answer those questions, and I thought his answers were very clear. I thought the Questions themselves a little difficult to understand. In a sense, the first Question is contradictory. It wishes me to oppose any suggestion of our having tactical atomic weapons at all and at the same time to make conditions about their use. I can only repeat the fact as stated by the Foreign Secretary, that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation commanders have no authority to order the use of tactical atomic weapons on their own immediate decision.
§ 56. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister what consultations he proposes 603 to have with Dr. Adenauer on the question of the use of atomic tactical weapons by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation powers on German territory.
§ The Prime MinisterAs the hon. Member is aware, Dr. Adenauer was unfortunately unable to visit this country owing to ill health. These conversations are only just finishing. A communiqué will be issued.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Prime Minister aware that we all regret the illness of Dr. Adenauer? Is he also aware that a very large number of people in Germany are horrified at the thought that these deadly atomic weapons are to be used on German territory again?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is not a matter for me. That is a matter for the Chancellor of the West German Republic.