§ Q7. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister whether he will discuss the question of additional Polaris submarines now being based on Holy Loch with the United States Government, with a view to revising the United Kingdom agreement with them.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. No changes are contemplated in the arrangements for the use of the Holy Loch facilities by these submarines, and no revision of the agreement is therefore necessary.
§ Mr. HughesBut does the Prime Minister know anything about the report that eight of these Polaris submarines are soon to be located in the Clyde; that there is a programme for forty, and that one submarine recently fired a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific? The result is that the Russians are likely to test their high megaton bombs in order to destroy these submarines. Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that saturation point has come, and that some effort should be made to end the arms race?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is another question. This Question deals with whether it is necessary to amend the agreement for the location of these submarines at Holy Loch. I am informed that there is unlikely to be any increase in the number of submarines using the loch at any one time.