§ Q2. Mr. Rankinasked the Prime Minister whether the terms of the agreement he made with President Kennedy limit the number of United States Polaris submarines to be based in the Holy Loch.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)I assume the hon. Member is referring to my agreement with President Eisenhower. This placed no limit on the number, but it was our understanding at the time that not more than three of the submarines using the Holy Loch would be there at any one time.
§ Mr. RankinIs it not the case that we are still in a very inexact position in regard to numbers? Do I take it from the Prime Minister's Answer that the only limit on the number of submarines will be the size of the loch itself? In view of the fact that the number of these vessels is bound to increase greatly, for the others which have to be housed in future will the Prime Minister look for some loch furth of Scotland?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. The limit is what from time to time is agreed and at present the agreement is three.