§ 19. Mr. Brooksasked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he plans to take to prevent overflights by espionage satellites and orbiting missiles which infringe the air space of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. John MorrisThe transit of satellite vehicles cannot be prevented. Our defence against any misuse of them in contravention of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 lies in detecting them promptly and in the maintenance of a credible Western deterrent.
§ Mr. BrooksDoes my hon. Friend recall that the Soviet Union, quite understandably, regarded the U2 overflight as an infringement of sovereignty and took appropriate action? Can he clarify what is the position in international law if Britain or, for that matter, any other country, similarly takes appropriate action against an espionage satellite?
§ Mr. MorrisMy hon. Friend has put his finger on a very difficult point. As the House was informed in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend himself on 21st March, the height to which national control of air space is exercised is a question of international law which has yet to be resolved. There is thus no generally agreed basis on which an infringement of British air space by satellite vehicles could be claimed. That is the position.
§ Mr. MartenIs it not part of the difficulty that an orbiting satellite can be of great value to mankind when it is searching out the resources of the earth and that it is difficult to distinguish between one which does that and one which may be looking for military matters?
§ Mr. MorrisThe hon. Gentleman is perfectly right. What is important from our point of view is that in the interests of our defence we should know what is happening and have speedy detection.