§ 12. Mr. Leeasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now make a 174 statement on his policy towards the United Kingdom's defence commitments.
§ Mr. MasonI would refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilkeston (Mr. Fletcher) on 21st March—[Vol. 870, c. 153-4.]— and the hon. Member for Tyne-mouth (Mr. Trotter) on 5th April.—[Vol. 871, c. 451.]
§ Mr. LeeDo not the number of spectacularly tragic incidents all over the world, ranging from Dublin to the Middle East, demonstrate the utter futility of a defence policy based upon weapons of mass destruction? May we be assured that when the review is completed it will result in very large economies?
§ Mr. MasonWeapons of mass destruction could involve the strategic deterrent, and I thought that that had helped to maintain the peace for the past 30 years.
§ Mr. BuckWill the Secretary of State clear up one point? In calling for the review, has any note been taken of the Labour Party conference resolution demanding a£1,000 million cut in defence?
§ Mr. MasonWe have noted it, of course. It would be right for Her Majesty's Government to do so. But I refuse to be bound completely to£1,000 million. What is more, it is not in the Labour Party's manifesto. In any event, it would require a majority in the Labour Party to commit either the national executive or the Government.