§ 31. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present state of preparation for nuclear war in terms of maintenance of Government; what personnel it is intended to locate in underground bunkers; and whether it remains his policy that preparations cannot be made for the survival of the population as a whole.
§ Mr. SharplesIt is the view of this Government, as of their predecessors, that useful preparations can be made to reduce the effects of nuclear war in the respects mentioned.
§ Mr. JenkinsWould the hon. Gentleman suggest to the Prime Minister that this policy should be looked at again, having regard to the fact that it is a policy of basing national defence on a weapon from which the public cannot be protected? Is it not the case that in the last war the few died to save the many, whereas our present policy is the reverse of this? If this were publicly realised would there not be an outcry against this policy?
§ Mr. SharplesThe whole policy has been under re-examination in recent months. A circular was issued to local authorities yesterday dealing with Government policy in this respect, and a copy has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. PagetIs it not a fact that the nuclear threat today has increased at 1669 least a thousand-fold over what it was at the time that this kind of regulation was introduced, and that any attempt at defence or even mitigation today is totally futile?
§ Mr. SharplesNo, Sir, I would not accept that. Certainly in areas outside the immediate point of impact it is possible for people to take precautions which will enable a number of lives to be saved.