§ 12. Mr. Mulleyasked the Minister of Defence to what extent the policy of Her Majesty's Government, as stated in paragraph 12 of the 1958 Defence White Paper, has been modified as a result of the recent meeting of the North Atlantic Council, and the strategic policy agreed there.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe paragraph to which the hon. Member refers describes N.A.T.O. strategy at the time the White Paper was written. N.A.T.O. keeps its strategy under review. No changes have been announced since the date of the White Paper.
§ Mr. MulleyI asked the Minister a fairly simple Question. I asked him whether this paragraph still represents the Government's policy for which he is wholly answerable to the House. Is it still the Government's policy that the West will rely primarily upon the deterrent effect of this vast stockpile of nuclear weapons? Is it still his view that the allied defence forces in Europe will hold the front as long as is needed to bring the nuclear counter-offensive into effect? Will the right hon. Gentleman pay himself the compliment of repudiating the paragraph in the interests of defence policy?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI hope that the hon. Member will pay himself the compliment of reading the communiqué, which says that
The purpose of N.A.T.O. is defence, and it must be clear that in case of attack it will defend its members by all necessary means.That is what the 1958 White Paper says.
§ Mr. MulleyI asked the Minister if he would be good enough to answer the Question I put down. I have asked about that paragraph. Will he say simply whether this is Government policy or whether it is not?
§ Mr. WatkinsonCertainly it remains Government policy because it conforms to the present strategy of N.A.T.O. If it is decided to alter that strategy then we shall conform to the altered strategy as we do to the present one, providing that it is agreed by the N.A.T.O. Council.