§ 9. Mr. Zilliacusasked the Lord Privy Seal to what extent, in the light of the discussions in Paris, it is now established and accepted that the international control system of the proposed multinational North Atlantic Treaty Organisation deterrent force applies only to the nuclear weapons assigned by the contracting parties to this force; and whether it imposes any obligation on them not to use or threaten to use their own nuclear forces, operating under their own command, without the approval of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
§ Mr. HeathThe arrangements for command and control of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation nuclear force, when determined by the North Atlantic Council, will apply only to the weapons assigned to that force.
§ Mr. ZilliacusI thank the right hon. Gentleman for that reply. Would he confirm that this means that there will be no N.A.T.O. control over the use by any of our allies of their nuclear forces under their own command outside N.A.T.O., as in the case of the United States in connection with Cuba?
§ Mr. HeathThat is exactly what the hon. Gentleman asked me in his original Question to which my answer remains the same.
§ 10. Mr. Healeyasked the Lord Privy Seal how many Governments have agreed to assign their strategic bomber forces to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; and which of these Governments possess their own nuclear weapons.
§ Mr. HealeyWhile I welcome the readiness of Her Majesty's Government to modify the independence of their deterrent forces by subjecting them to control by a foreign officer, can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House whether the French Government are proposing to contribute towards the multi-national force, and, if they are not, whether it will be possible under N.A.T.O. regulations and constitution to set up a force without their consent?
§ Mr. HeathI hope the hon. Gentleman realises that this is not the only part of the multi-national force. The United States have undertaken to contribute Polaris submarines to this force. As to the second part of the supplementary question, I understand that this matter is under consideration by the French Government and we hope that a final decision on it will be reached at the conference at Ottawa.
§ Mr. HealeyWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the final part of my supplementary question, namely, whether the consent of the French Government to the setting up of such a multi-national force is necessary under the N.A.T.O. constitution, even though the French Government make no physical contribution to such a force?
§ 38. Mr. Shinwellasked the Lord Privy Seal whether any declaration has been made by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Council of Ministers about the Organisation's capability of containing an all-out conventional attack by Russia without invoking the use of nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware of statements made by representatives of the United States about this organisation in relation to this matter? Does he not agree with the suggestion contained in the Question, namely, that if there were an all-out attack by Russia of a conventional character there must be recourse to a nuclear weapon?
§ Mr. HeathThe right hon. Gentleman has asked me about a statement on N.A.T.O. policy on this matter. No statement of that kind has been made and, with his great experience, I do not think that the right hon. Gentleman would expect N.A.T.O. to make a statement on it.