§ 9. Mr. Croninasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many ships of the Royal Navy are armed with surface-to-surface guided missiles.
§ Mr. HayNone, Sir. Strike aircraft—Buccaneers, Sea Vixens and Scimitars—are the main long-range anti-surface weapon of the Fleet.
§ Mr. CroninIs it not the case that the Soviet Navy has large numbers of vessels armed with these weapons and that they can outrange and sink any British ship except aircraft carriers? What purpose would the other British ships apart from carriers serve in a surface action?
§ Mr. HayI had better refer the hon. Member to the Adjournment debate on 15th May last, when I fully explained to the House our thinking on all these matters.
§ Mr. CroninIn that debate, the hon. Gentleman explained the financial difficulties. Is it not the case that if the Navy had not spent £40 million in developing an anti-aircraft missile which has already been duplicated by the Royal Air Force, it would have had the funds with which to develop these ship-to-ship missiles?