HC Deb 12 March 1970 vol 797 cc1555-6
Q2. Mr. Blaker

asked the Prime Minister which Minister is responsible for implementing the Nassau Agreement.

The Prime Minister

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and for Defence work closely together on all matters arising from the Nassau Agreement.

Mr. Blaker

Does the right hon. Gentleman recall that on 26th February he told the House that the Government would withdraw our nuclear deterrent from N.A.T.O. only if N.A.T.O. ceased to exist? Does he also recall that on 5th December, 1967, he said that we reserved the right to withdraw it after consultation with N.A.T.O.? Since the conflict between those two statements was not cleared up in last week's defence debate, would the right hon. Gentleman now say which statement represents the true position?

The Prime Minister

I have answered Questions on this subject twice recently. I said that the matter could be dealt with in that debate. If hon. Gentlemen opposite had cared to give my right hon. Friend a hearing in that debate they might have got the facts.

Mr. Hugh Jenkins

As my right hon. Friend has given notice of his intention to renegotiate the Nassau Agreement, will he now say when he expects the renegotiation process to begin?

The Prime Minister

I said that in view of the fact that the arrangements made with N.A.T.O. were now satisfactory to us, I did not see any immediate urgency about that.

Mr. Rippon

May I say to the right hon. Gentleman—

Hon. Members

No.

Mr. Speaker

Order. The right hon. and learned Gentleman must ask a question.

Mr. Rippon

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that we greatly welcomed in the defence debate the Secretary of State's assurance that the British nuclear deterrent was fully independent and that it was the Government's intention to keep it so for the foreseeable future?

The Prime Minister

The right hon. and learned Gentleman, like other right hon. Gentlemen when dealing with this matter at Question time, should quote the whole of what was said and not selectively quote my right hon. Friend. [An HON. MEMBER: "He was quite clear."] Of course he was quite clear; I heard him. What he said was perfectly true. It was not an independent deterrent in 1964 when we were dependent on the Americans. I am saying, and I said in 1964—the right hon. and learned Gentleman, who was a member of the Cabinet, knows it is true—that we were dependent on the Americans for the essential material to work it.