§ 17. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Defence what steps are taken to check that those with access to nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom are free from mental instability, drunkenness or other tendencies dangerous in the circumstances.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThere are stringent selection and training procedures for officers and men dealing with nuclear or indeed other type of weapons. These are our main safeguard. As regards nuclear weapons, no one man can initiate their use.
§ Mr. AllaunIf such precautions have to be taken, both here and in America, are not they an admission that a catastrophic accident could, in fact, occur? Secondly, is the Minister certain that it is possible without fail to detect such tendencies?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI think that it would be very dangerous to have anyone who was drunk or mentally unstable in charge of any weapon.
§ Mr. PagetCan the right hon. Gentleman give this assurance, because I think that it would comfort some people? Can he give an assurance that no single person, however mad, however drunk, however violent or however hard he tried could explode an atomic weapon?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI am grateful to the hon. and learned Gentleman. I think the important thing is to ensure that it takes more than one man to explode the weapon, and that is so.