§ 13. Mr. Mulleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish details of the modified multilateral nuclear force proposals which have been submitted for study within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftProceedings in the Paris Working Group are of course confidential but I can say that work on the British ideas is continuing. Essentially we have suggested that consideration should be given to the mix-manning 423 of airborne and land-based nuclear weapons as part of the general examination of the MLF project.
§ Mr. MulleyI appreciate that these discussions may be confidential, but is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the so-called British proposals have been widely discussed in the Press in this and other countries? Can he explain how that comes to be? Does he not think that, in these circumstances, an authoritative statement of Government policy to this House should be made in order to correct any misapprehensions? Secondly, will he confirm or deny that the proposals we put forward include some measure of mixed-manned surface ships carrying nuclear missiles?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe statement I have made is entirely authoritative, and I have no objection to discussion of it in this House or in the Press. All that we have suggested is that, in addition to considering the mixed-manning of surface ships to which a great deal of attention is being paid, it would be sensible to consider the possibility of mixed-manning some of the weapon systems that people were going to buy anyway, and this may achieve their political objectives much cheaper than any other method.
§ Sir J. EdenCan my right hon. Friend confirm that in the consideration of a mixed-manned force, we are offering the suggestion that the British V-bomber force could well form a basis for something of this kind?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftWe certainly consider that aircraft, either existing or planned, could be incorporated in a system of this nature.