HC Deb 26 October 1960 vol 627 cc2345-7
38. Mr. Bence

asked the Minister of Defence what proposals have been discussed for the establishment in Scotland of bases for servicing Polaris submarines.

39. Dr. Dickson Mabon

asked the Minister of Defence if he will make a statement on present negotiations to set up a Polaris submarine base in west Scotland.

40. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Minister of Defence what requests he has received for United States submarines carrying the Polaris missile to be given facilities at British ports.

43. Mr. Warbey

asked the Minister of Defence if he will make a statement on the negotiations for the provision of British bases for United States Polaris submarines.

Mr. Watkinson

Discussions have been going on, as has previously been stated in the House, with United States authorities about the possibility of providing certain facilities for United States Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines in the United Kingdom. These discussions continue. Any agreement resulting from them will, of course, be announced first in the House.

Mr. Bence

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that on the B.B.C. last week or the week before Mr. Ed Murrow stated that these Polaris submarines would be in telephonic communication only with the United States authorities, that their location would be known only to the United States and that the missiles would be completely in the control of the United States? If that is so, the bases from which these submarines are serviced should be in United States territory and not in the territory of another State which has no political control over their disposition or use.

Mr. Watkinson

I am not aware of what Mr. Ed Murrow said. As far as I know, he has no connection with the American Government.

Dr. Dickson Mabon

May we assume from that reply that when the negotiations are completed there will be a statement revising yesterday's statement by the Prime Minister on the question of the control of air bases in this country? If the right hon. Gentleman and the Prime Minister continue to be as obscure as they have been in the past in this matter, they will continue to undermine public confidence in the alliance if they are unwilling to state the precise degree of political control this country must exercise over its N.A.T.O. defensive alliance.

Mr. Watkinson

What I have said is that the Government are anxious to make a full statement on this as soon as the discussions which are going on are concluded.

Mr. Frank Allaun

If one of the 16 Polaris missiles carried on each of the 45 submarines which America is proposing to build is fired against Russia, either by design or accident, is it not obvious that Russia, not immediately knowing the source of the missile, will wipe out all the possible bases from which it might have come, including our own country?

Mr. Watkinson

That is quite another question.

Mr. Warbey

Can the Minister confirm that these bases will be occupied by supply tenders which will be loaded with spare missiles, thus adding to the number of targets which this country already offers to hostile rockets?

Mr. Watkinson

I think that it is much better to say no more until a proper and full statement can be given to the House.

Mr. Strachey

Will the right hon. Gentleman now tell us that his statement will deal with the essential point that the right of veto on the use of these nuclear weapons will be somehow achieved in the case of Polaris submarines as in the case of aircraft?

Mr. Watkinson

I have listened very carefully to the various questions which have been put, and they are all very relevant matters.

Mr. Paget

Will the right hon. Gentleman assure us that, having failed to provide this country with an independent means of delivering the deterrent, he will at least make sure that we do everything in our power to see that the American method has our full co-operation and is efficient?

Mr. Watkinson

I am not sure that the hon. and learned Gentleman is doing anybody a service by pretending that what is politically inconvenient to him does not exist.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

Is it not quite untrue to suggest that this country has not the means of independently delivering the deterrent?

Mr. Watkinson

It certainly has it at the moment in very great measure.

Mr. Rankin

The right hon. Gentleman, in his reply, said that there was the possibility of an American base in the Clyde. Is he not aware that work on this has been going on for three years, that all communications are now prepared as far up as Glen Douglas and that there is now a boom at Fairley guarding the entrance to the Clyde? If it is merely a possibility, why have all these steps been taken?

Mr. Watkinson

This has nothing to do with the Question. I think that the hon. Gentleman may be confusing certain N.A.T.O. preparations which have been going on for three years.