HC Deb 30 November 1964 vol 703 cc5-6
5. Mr. Wall

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the development of British surface-to-surface missiles for the Royal Navy and the Army.

Mr. Healey

I am reviewing the content of the defence programme as a whole and until the review is complete I am not prepared to make any statement on this subject.

Mr. Wall

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Royal Navy has no surface-to-surface missiles while the Army operates the obsolete Corporal, the Germans have the Sergeant, and the Americans have no fewer than 37 surface-to-surface missiles? Will he look at this carefully?

Mr. Healey

I am very well aware of these facts. One of the things that I noticed when I took office was that my predecessor on cancelling Blue Water, after an expenditure of £32 million, left the British Army totally dependent upon the United States for ground-to-ground missiles.

Commander Courtney

Can the right hon. Gentleman confirm that in the absence of a surface-to-surface guided missile for the Royal Navy the main arm of the Fleet remains the fixed-wing carrier-borne aircraft?

Mr. Healey

I think that is the case.