HC Deb 19 February 1969 vol 778 cc444-5
8. Mr. Farr

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for building a further Polaris submarine.

Mr. Healey

None, Sir.

Mr. Farr

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in view of the complexity of maintaining these Polaris vessels, there is a real risk that we shall never have more than one permanently on patrol at any one time, with only four in use?

Mr. Healey

No, Sir, I do not accept that at all. We plan to have two on patrol the great majority of the time. I agree that the maintenance and refitting of these ships is a great deal more complex than that for normal naval vessels, where with a force of four we would expect to have over two permanently on patrol.

Mr. Crawshaw

Is my hon. Friend aware that that is a very gratifying reply? Can he tell the House that we do at all times have two on active patrol and away from the bases where they would be subject to sabotage?

Mr. Healey

My hon. Friend did not listen to my answer. I said that we would have two on patrol for the great majority of the time, but not absolutely all the time.

Mr. Rippon

Will the right hon. Gentleman keep an open mind on this question, bearing in mind the importance of ensuring that we have a sufficient number operational at the critical moment. and also remembering the very splendid defence he made recently of the cost-effectiveness of the Polaris force, which is equivalent to 30,000 Hiroshimas yet only costs 1 per cent. of the defence budget?

Mr. Healey

Yes, but if one built more Polaris submarines the cost-effectiveness would be a great deal more open to argument. I was talking about the running costs of the force of four, the capital cost of which we have now completely paid or else committed. On the earlier question, I would like to make it clear that in normal circumstances we would expect to have two on patrol for the great majority of the time. In times of tension we would be pretty certain of having two and might well have three.

16. Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of Great Britain's Polaris submarines are contributed to the collective Western strategic nuclear deterrent.

Mr.Healey

When operational, all four of Britain's Polaris submarines will be contributed to the Western strategic nuclear deterrent.

Mr. Marten

Can the Secretary of State say whether we still have the right to withdraw this British deterrent from the collective rôle if Britain needs it independently for her own purposes?

Mr. Healey

Yes, as I have made clear many times in this House, we have the right, but we cannot conceive of any circumstances in which we would need to exercise it.

Mr. Ridsdale

Would the right hon. Gentleman agree that as the co-ordination of our nuclear policy with the Americans is absolutely vital it is most unwise to make the kind of remarks he did about blasting Russian ships out of the Eastern Mediterranean with nuclear strikes? Did he clear these remarks with the allies?

Mr. Healey

The hon. Gentleman is, as usual, grossly misinformed. I said nothing about nuclear strikes in the Eastern Mediterranean.