HC Deb 06 April 1960 vol 621 cc369-71
13. Mr. Zilliacus

asked the Minister of Defence whether, in view of the fact that he has reaffirmed the nuclear deterrent strategy of the 1958 Defence White Paper, calling for resort to nuclear weapons against a major attack with conventional arms on a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ally, he is satisfied that a British decision to initiate nuclear warfare could be taken independently without requiring the agreement of the United States of America or of any of Great Britain's European Allies; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Watkinson

I do not think it is in the best interests of defence or disarmament to make statements about what we should do in hypothetical circumstances, or how we should do it.

Mr. Zilliacus

Is not the Minister aware that he has reaffirmed the doctrine that the Government will resort to nuclear weapons first in the case of a major nuclear attack? I asked whether the veto of the United States and this country on the use of nuclear weapons from this country applies to this eventuality as well. There is nothing hypothetical about that. It is the Government's policy that I ask about.

Mr. Watkinson

The answer is that the Government's policy has been made quite plain. I do not necessarily accept the interpretations put on it at each Question Time by the hon. Member. The main purpose of our policy is to be in a firm posture on defence to try to stop a war starting.

Mr. G. Brown

The right hon. Gentleman has rather called this on himself, and I think that he should answer my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Zilliacus) a little more clearly. The right hon. Gentleman's White Paper this year—that is to say, his first White Paper—seemed to throw down the doctrine in the White Paper of 1958. On the other hand, is it not true that when asked last week in this House whether he stood by the 1958 doctrine, he chose to say that it was a very good policy and one that has been justified by events? I think that I quote him accurately. He therefore chose to stand on the doctrine of the White Paper of 1958 although, as I say, his own White Paper seemed to throw the other down. Therefore, ought he not to answer my hon. Friend's Question?

Mr. Watkinson

I do not think that that question bears exactly on the subject. If the right hon. Gentleman wants to put down a Question I will try to give him a very carefully considered Answer. As to the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, I would say that the position of Her Majesty's Government is that we wish to take all possible action, as I have already said today, to try to stop a war starting that could engulf our civilisation. We shall take any measures we consider necessary to that end. We do not think it wise to advise possible aggressors of exactly what reply we would make to their aggression. That is a judgment best left to us.

Mr. Shinwell

Why does the right hon. Gentleman refer to the Question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Zilliacus) as hypothetical when, in point of fact, he admits that at N.A.T.O. they have been considering a possible future nuclear war? Is not that hypothetical?

Mr. Watkinson

N.A.T.O. is always considering these matters. That is how we stop wars starting.