HC Deb 11 May 1976 vol 911 cc204-5
2. Mr. Peter Morrison

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to meet his NATO counterparts.

Mr. Mason

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Cambridge (Mr. Lane) on 6th April.

Mr. Morrison

Has the right hon. Gentleman had any discussions with his NATO colleagues about future strategy in the light of the possibility of a Communist Government in Italy?

Mr. Mason

First of all, the Foreign Secretaries of the NATO nations will be considering that. I think we should be cautious about our approach. No positive view is emanating to say that the Communists will take over Italy. The election still has to be held, and it would be premature to make any public comments about that at this stage.

Mr. MacFarquhar

Has my right hon. Friend yet informed his NATO counterparts of the British decision to produce tritium in the United Kingdom, which means that for the first time this country will have a totally independent nuclear deterrent and, if so, why the Government have taken this decision?

Mr. Mason

This has nothing to do with my NATO counterparts. This was a purely British decision, in order that we could produce our own tritium and be independent of the United States. Marginally, when it is completed, the operation will be cheaper for us, but we shall still not be independent of the United States in terms of the Polaris programme.

Mr. Onslow

Will the Secretary of State tell the House whether it was because of representations from our NATO allies that his noble Friend felt obliged to remind the other place that any weakening by us in defence has much more effect on the Alliance than we may imagine?

Mr. Mason

I have explained precisely that point before—that although, in military strategy and the deployment of weapons and troops, we play a part that is as good as that of any of our NATO allies, our Western European friends and our American allies believe that our psychological presence and our strength are just as important as the military strength that we have within the Alliance.