§ 3. Mr. Kershawasked the Minister of Defence whether he will ensure that in future nuclear weapons for the use of the Armed Forces shall be of British manufacture.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftNo, Sir. The warheads used by our deterrent forces will, however, continue to be of British manufacture.
§ Mr. KershawWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind in considering this matter that the technological advantages as well as the political flexibility are much increased if these weapons are under our manufacture and control?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftYes. I will bear all those matters in mind.
§ 18. Viscount Lambtonasked the Minister of Defence if he will give an assurance that all nuclear weapons when under the control of Her Majesty's Government will be free from any other nation's control.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftYes, Sir.
§ Viscount LambtonWill my right hon. Friend say whether every method of communication relevant to the firing of Polaris will be under British command and in no circumstances could be withdrawn?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftYes, Sir.
§ Viscount LambtonWill my right hon. Friend go further on this point and say that there will be no duplication of the method employed towards the firing between ourselves and the United States?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI have not been following my noble Friend. We have this weapon independently. We can communicate with it and use it without strings and independently, under the terms, whenever supreme national importance so demands. There is no problem about this whatever.
§ Mr. PagetIs the right hon. Gentleman suggesting that if these nuclear submarines are in the N.A.T.O. fleet we shall be able to communicate with them once they are submerged save through the N.A.T.O. network?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftWe shall be able to communicate with them at all times through our own resources.
§ Mr. WiggHas the right hon. Gentleman understood the question put to him by the noble Lord the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Viscount Lambton)? He is not asking about communication. What he is asking is whether Polaris submarines flying the British flag could fire weapons without being under the control of an American officer.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI hope that they will never have to fire, but they can fire the weapons on British orders at any time.
§ Commander CourtneyWill my right hon. Friend confirm for the information of hon. Members opposite that our submarines have been communicating and have been communicated with when submerged for the past 30 years?