HC Deb 19 June 1963 vol 679 cc445-7
28. Mr. John Hall

asked the Minister of Defence what is the estimated cost to Great Britain of participation in the multi lateral naval nuclear force; and what consequent reductions this would impose on other forms of defence expenditure.

Mr. Thorneycroft

No decision has yet been made to contribute. The cost to us and thus the affects elsewhere would depend on the form and size of whatever contribution we might decide to make.

Mr. Hall

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that this proposal was considered by our defence experts some years ago and dismissed at that time as impracticable? Would it not be most unfortunate if we agreed to go on with this scheme and then found that we had to reduce expenditure on much more essential defence needs elsewhere, a proposal which would meet with considerable opposition from hon. Members on both sides of the House?

Mr. Thorneycroft

My hon. Friend is quite right to say that priorities in defence expenditure are certainly a very important factor in any decision that we reach.

Mr. Shinwell

In reply to a previous Question on this subject, did not the right hon. Gentleman say that the cost would be several hundreds of millions of £s? Has he no idea in his head of what it is likely to cost? Are we not entitled to have some inkling from the right hon. Gentleman about the financial details?

Mr. Thorneycroft

If one wants to know rather more about a project than the fact that it may cost several hundreds of millions of £s, the cost to us would depend first on a decision whether we were going to do it, and that has not yet been taken, and, secondly, we would want to know what percentage of that several hundreds of millions of £s we were prepared to pay. In the circumstances, it is not possible to answer questions on these lines.

Mr. Burden

Is it not clear that if we embarked on this scheme it would cost several hundreds of millions of £s and would not in any way subscribe to our defence against traditional weapons, and that in order to find the money it would be necessary to restrict or cut back our anti-submarine killer submarine programme, which must at all times be given the highest possible priority?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I should make it plain that I am not questioning the validity of these arguments. When I speak of several hundreds of millions of £s I am referring to the total cost and not to the percentage which might be subscribed by this country.

Mr. Healey

Will the right hon. Gentleman at least tell the House whether, if the Government accept a contribution towards this project, the cost will be taken out of the Naval Appropriation, like the cost of the Polaris submarine programme? Is he aware that many of hon. Members on both sides of the House would regard this as a defence disaster of the first magnitude?

Mr. Thorneycroft

That is an entirely hypothetical question, because no decision has been made to do this or how much we would do if we did. Therefore, it is quite idle to discuss which Vote it would come under