HC Deb 08 February 1961 vol 634 cc374-5
6. Mr. Emrys Hughes

asked the Minister of Defence, in view of the relaxation of international tension as a result of the release of the RB47 airmen, if he will now reconsider the decision to agree to a Polaris base in Great Britain.

Mr. Watkinson

No, Sir. Her Majesty's Government welcome this gesture by the Soviet Government but reductions in the defences of the Western Alliance can only flow from agreed measures of disarmament.

Mr. Hughes

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is a curious welcome to proposals which are likely to reduce international tension to establish this atomic monster on the Clyde? Does he not realise that this monster is designed to destroy the civil population of the Soviet Union, and that the result might be the destruction of this country? Does he not think that some gesture of this kind would be heartily welcomed in Russia and certainly in Scotland?

Mr. Watkinson

The hon. Gentleman and I could not be further apart, because we disagree on the basic contention. It is my contention, and that of, I think, all reasonable people, that the Polaris submarine weapon system, because it is a second-strike weapon, makes the chance of war much less likely.

14. Mr. G. Brown

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is aware that, now that the United States Government has decided to reduce the number of Service families allowed to be stationed abroad, there is no longer a similar need for housing, schools and similar facilities to be available near to a Polaris submarine base; and whether the Government will now reconsider the decision to have a base at Holy Loch.

Mr. Watkinson

The nearness of housing and schools was not the determining factors in choosing the Holy Loch, though it was one of several factors. In any event, President Kennedy's statement of 1st February makes it seem unlikely that families wishing to join members of the crew of the depot ship will be prevented from doing so.

Mr. Brown

I saw that President Kennedy had let me down. Nevertheless, would it not be sensible to look at this again to see whether the technical facilities required cannot be provided somewhere else and prevent, as we all know, this housing requirement being the determining factor in putting this base so near a very crowded urban area?

Mr. Watkinson

I quite see the point of the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question. This was gone into very carefully, but perhaps I should make it plain, because a great many people are creating a misleading impression by saying that this is a base. What it is is a few buoys in a sea loch to which a depot ship will moor, and nothing could be more mobile than that. Certainly at the present time this seems to be the best anchorage that can be provided, for a whole range of very technical reasons, and that is why it is going there.

Sir A. V. Harvey

In considering this matter, will my right hon. Friend take into account the matter which is today before the British courts and is sub judice?

Mr. Watkinson

I take note of my hon. Friend's point.