§ 6. Mr. Formanasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to have an early meeting with his counterpart, the French Minister of Defence.
§ Mr. William RodgersMy right hon. Friend has no plans at present to do so.
§ Mr. FormanWhen the Minister's right hon. Friend has a chance to meet M. Bourges, will he bear in mind that the French Government recently put forward a plan to double their defence expenditure over the next six years, raising it from 17 per cent. to 20 per cent. of the total national budget? Will the Secretary of State contrast that with the 289 irresponsible proposals made by his hon. Friends below the Gangway to make further cuts in defence expenditure of up to £1,000 million?
§ Mr. RodgersMost comparisons are invidious. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to make that comparison, I remind him that France spends less of her GNP on defence than does Britain. It is, therefore, arguable that there is more room for the French to increase their defence expenditure than there can be in this country. What we have to decide is how much we have to spend to provide adequate defence—no more and no less than that.
§ Mr. Frank AllaunHas it not always been Labour policy that there should be no joint Anglo-French nuclear force while France remained outside NATO, as this would inevitably lead to a German finger on the nuclear button? Will the Minister give an undertaking that even if France rejoins NATO there will be no reversal of that policy?
§ Mr. RodgersI can certainly tell my hon. Friend that no consideration has been given to the idea of an Anglo-French nuclear force.
§ Mr. ArnoldHow does the Minister of State characterise the recent pronouncement by the French President on France's attitude towards NATO?
§ Mr. RodgersAs typically French.