§ 24 and 25. Mr. Willisasked the Minister of Defence (1) what is his estimate of the minimum number of Polaris submarines which will be required to provide an effective independent deterrent;
(2) when he expects to make an announcement giving details of the proposed Polaris programme.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI would ask the hon. Member to await the debate, in the course of which as much information as possible will be made available.
§ Mr. WillisAre we to understand from that Answer that during the course of the debate we shall be given some information about this programme; or is it true to say that the Government have not made up their mind about it and that they are preventing any sensible debate or decisions about this matter because of their withholding of the facts concerning the programme?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftSome information about the programme will be given.
§ Mr. RankinCould the right hon. Gentleman tell us now, or shall we have to wait until the debate, whether or not the Mark III missile which we have to use in the Polaris submarines has been proved yet?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThat is the sort of question which could be asked in the debate.
§ 32. Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Defence when he will state the plans of Her Majesty's Government regarding the building of Polaris submarines and the programme for introducing them into the Fleet.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI would ask the hon. Member to await the debate opening today.
§ Mr. MasonIt is a pity the right hon. Gentleman cannot have a defence debate every time he appears at the Dispatch Box to answer Questions. If during the course of the debate 'the right hon. Gentleman is going to announce the building of a Polaris fleet, either singly or as a crash programme all at once, could he say to what extent a survey has taken place of British shipyards to ascertain whether they have the resources, the nuclear "know-how" and sufficient technical staff to tackle that job if it is to be done speedily?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThese are exactly the sort of questions which it would be perfectly proper to put in the course of the two-day debate we are about to hold.
§ Mr. Frank AllaunWill not the cost of this fleet be largely additional to our present arms expenditure?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftNo, it will not be largely additional; but I would rather develop the answer to that a little more fully than I can in reply to a question.