§ 44. Mr. de Freitasasked the Secretary of State for Air what plans he has for exchanging British ground-to-air missiles for United States air-to-air missiles for the mutual benefit of the British and United States Services.
§ Mr. NeaveI have nothing to add to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Bermondsey (Mr. Mellish) by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence of 17th June.
§ Mr. de FreitasHas it not now become apparent that the British ground-to-air missiles are far superior to those of the United States and that it is at least possible that the American air-to-air missiles are superior to ours? If interdependence is to be anything but merely a word, would not this be a good place to start the exchange of equipment?
§ Mr. NeaveI see the point made by the hon. Member. He should, however, know that there is a steady exchange of information between the Americans and ourselves on the development of new weapons and that this is of great benefit. Whether from the knowledge thus derived it would be advantageous for one country to adopt a particular weapon being developed by the other is for that country to decide.