HC Deb 21 October 1975 vol 898 cc229-31
14. Rear-Admiral Morgan-Giles

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the latest posi- tion with regard to Great Britain's contribution to NATO.

Mr. Mason

The United Kingdoms contribution to NATO is set out in detail in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1975 (Cmnd. 5976). Since the publication of the statement, the appointment of the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command as a NATO major subordinate commander and consequent extension of his responsibilities have enabled us to make naval and air forces, including nearly 200 aircraft, more readily available to the alliance in an emergency.

Rear Admiral Morgan-Giles

On Trafalgar Day, has the Secretary of State considered that the greatest and fastest growing threat to NATO now lies at sea with a confrontation below the level of declared war? Has he considered whether the British contribution, which is a more maritime one, would be more effective in preventing war rather than waging it?

Mr. Mason

I would have thought that on Trafalgar Day the hon. and gallant Member would first have praised the fact that we have the through-deck cruiser programme, that the maritime Harrier is coming, that we have ordered Sub-Harpoon and that we are developing Sea Skewer. He should be standing up in praise of the Navy on Trafalgar Day.

Mr. Newens

Is my right hon. Friend aware that our contribution to NATO constitutes a heavy burden on our economy which we cannot afford to expand and which many of us think it is doubtful that we shall be able to sustain? Could he confirm that it is our policy to seek, at least eventually, the winding-up of all military alliances, including NATO?

Mr. Mason

I part company from my hon. Friend on this matter. He should understand, as I am sure most of the British people do, that because of our contribution to the alliance and because NATO exists, we have had 30 years of peace in Europe—the longest span of peace in the last 200 years. If that collapses, our security will be at risk.

Mr. Onslow

Without dissenting from the right hon. Member's concluding remarks and in the hope that my question will not prompt him to pay himself further compliments, may I ask whether he is aware that the strength of our contribution to NATO must depend on the strength of the nation's economy and that that in turn depends very much on the strength of our defence industry? Is he aware that many people are alarmed by the way the future of the industry has been prejudiced by the conclusion of contracts to buy weapons from overseas without any corresponding firm agreement on work in this country or for reciprocal purchases by our NATO partners?

Mr. Mason

There cannot be painless defence cuts and when there are military requirements in order that our forces shall have the best equipment in the right time scale, it is necessary to look abroad as well as at home. When the package was made to purchase the British Sea Skewer, the French-German Milan and the American Sub-Harpoon, I managed to equip the forces at a cost of £100 million less than buying all-British. I cannot afford to ignore that.