Nuclear Weapons (Hansard, 11 November 1959)

§ 6. Mr. Swingler
asked the Minister of Defence whether it is still the Government's policy, as his predecessor stated in reply to Questions by the hon. Members for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Zilliacus) and Newcastle-under-Lyme on 11th February, 1959, to resort to nuclear weapons first in case of an attack with conventional arms on a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, South-East Asia Treaty Organisation, or the Central Treaty Organisation.

§ Mr. Watkinson
The Government's policy remains as stated in the Annual Defence White Papers and in Parliamentary debates.

§ Mr. Swingler
In view of the fact that criticism of this doctrine has now spread to general officers holding very important posts, who have described this policy as being one of insanity, will not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider the fact that no defence policy can be based on a threat to commit suicide? As this is a threat to initiate nuclear war, involving suicide for the British people, will he not turn his mind to the idea of producing a defence policy?

§ Mr. Watkinson
The hon. Gentleman should turn his mind to reading the White Paper to see what was actually said. In any case, this is a matter which will be dealt with in Answers to later Questions.

§ Mr. Strachey
Does not the new Minister of Defence agree that this is a very serious matter, as his Answer means that he is sticking to paragraph 12 of the 1958 White Paper, which suggests that the very first reaction to a conventional move by the enemy is a massive nuclear bombardment of the sources of power in Russia without any attempt to meet the attack by conventional means? Is the right hon. Gentleman sticking to that quite incredible position?

§ Mr. Watkinson
It is always very easy to quote sentences out of their context. The right hon. Gentleman's quotation is part of a sentence of paragraph 12 of the White Paper, which starts by saying In fact, the strategy of N.A.T.O. is based on the frank recognition that …

§ Mr. Shinwell
Are we not committed to the policy adumbrated by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation? Should not the right hon. Gentleman "come clean" about this, for it is better for us to face the facts? Is it not clear that in the event of failure to resist a conventional attack we should use the so-called nuclear deterrent, and obviously, if we do that, it will be very bad for us all.

§ Mr. Watkinson
I know that after his long experience in my present office the right hon. Gentleman will not disagree with me when I say that the purpose of the deterrent is to try to stop war by deterring people. Unless the deterrent is such that it does deter, it does not fulfil its purpose.