§ 1. Dr. David Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the cost of establishing an effective antimissile missile system for the fullest possible protection of the United Kingdom against rockets fitted with nuclear warheads.
§ The Minister of Defence for Equipment (Mr. Roy Mason)Prohibitive.
§ Dr. KerrIs my hon. Friend aware of the deduction which must follow from that brief, pithy and highly pointed Answer? Is he aware that what he is saying in one word is that Britain is totally indefensible in the event of atomic nuclear warfare? What further deductions is he and the Secretary of State for Defence going to draw from that nutshell of an Answer?
§ Mr. MasonIt is prohibitive and, as my hon. Friend will be aware, even the simple system of the proposed United States A.B.M. system is costed at about 5,000 million dollars. Our policy is to rely on the deterrent capability of the West, and Polaris is part of our deterrent.
§ Mr. Wingfield DigbyHas any detailed study been made about whether any system of this kind would be effective, even if it were financially feasible on account of the geographical circumstances of Great Britain?
§ Mr. MasonWe have not carried out such a study, but it is highly unlikely that it would be effective.