HC Deb 08 April 1970 vol 799 c527
12. Mr. John Fraser

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he next proposes to attend a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Defence Ministers.

The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Denis Healey)

I shall be going to the meeting of the Defence Planning Committee of N.A.T.O. which is planned for early June.

Mr. Fraser

When my right hon. Friend attends that meeting will he raise the question of Greece and what steps N.A.T.O. can take to restore democracy there, because it was the N.A.T.O. strategic plan "Pericles" which was used in Athens to overthrow the democratic régime?

Mr. Healey

I cannot at all accept the implications in the second part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question. I must remind him, however, that I shall be attending the meeting of the Defence Planning Committee of the N.A.T.O. Council, and the job of N.A.T.O. is to ensure that a war does not break out in Europe. I am not prepared to take any steps at that meeting which would make the outbreak of war more likely.

Sir Ian Orr-Ewing

Is the Secretary of State aware that reports are appearing in the national Press today of his recent speech to N.A.T.O.? Will he place a copy in the Library, as that speech appears to show that he feels that we are desperately vulnerable because of a shortage of conventional troops, and therefore desperately dependent on nuclear weapons for any form of retaliation?

Mr. Healey

I suspect that the hon. Gentleman is referring to a broadcast I made on Tuesday on the Radio 4 programme of the British Broadcasting Corporation. I will certainly ensure that he is able to read it, and confirm that the views I expressed were those which were supported by his right hon. Friend the Opposition spokesman on defence during our last defence debate.