HC Deb 25 April 1978 vol 948 cc1160-2
7. Mr. Viggers

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the defences of the United Kingdom against possible air attack.

The Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Air Force (Mr. James Wellbeloved)

Yes, and, as I announced in the recent defence debate, this Government are continuing to make considerable improvements in the air defence of this country.

Mr. Viggers

I congratulate the Minister because he must be one of the few people, apart from those behind the Warsaw Pact Iron Curtain, who is satisfied with our air defences. As we have not bought the Nike missile, and as we have not developed the Thunderbird missile, what defences do we have against supersonic bomber attack?

Mr. Wellbeloved

Before the hon. Gentleman starts criticising this Government about the state of the air defences of this country, he ought to look at the record. He will find that it was the Conservatives who dismantled and discarded the air defence capacity of this country. I shall tell the hon. Gentleman what we have done to improve the air defences of the United Kingdom. My right hon. Friend announced the setting up of another squadron of VC10 tankers for air-to-air refuelling, which will considerably improve our air combat capability. We have announced the coming into service of Nimrod airborne early warning aircraft, the increase in our Rapier squadron and Bloodhound missiles, and a large number of other issues, all of which are restoring the ability of this country to defend itself after the actions of the Conservatives.

Mr. Alan Lee Williams

Will my hon. Friend give me an assurance that if an unidentified civilian aircraft entered British air space it would not be shot down?

Mr. Wellbeloved

I can give my hon. Friend an assurance that a civilian aircraft entering our air space would not be shot down. We have well proven procedures. If an unidentified aircraft comes up on the radar screen, it is invariably intercepted. It would be signalled and radioed to follow our interceptor aircraft and land. If it did not respond, we would continue to shadow it until such times as we could get it safely to respond to our instructions.

Sir Anthony Royle

Since the Korean civilian airliner was over Russian air space for nearly one hour before the disgraceful attack took place by Soviet aircraft, can the Minister give the House an assurance that no unidentified aircraft would stay for an hour over our air space before being identified by our early warning system?

Mr. Wellbeloved

I can give the hon. Gentleman and the House the assurance that our systems of air defence are such that any unidentified aircraft penetrating our air space could be intercepted, if that were the option we wished to exercise.

Mr. Grocott

Since it is impossible for my hon. Friend to answer questions about the vulnerability of our air defences without some estimate of the likelihood of an air attack, can he give the House his estimate of just how likely that is?

Mr. Wellbeloved

We must take a realistic view. I hope that the negotiations on disarmament will be successful. But we must not neglect the fact that the Soviet Union has increased its capacity to reach the whole of these islands with offensive aircraft. Therefore, in the event of war, we would be subject to air attack. That is why the Government are so anxious and efficient in trying to restore our air defence capacity.

Mr. Churchill

I am delighted to have the Minister's assurance that Britain's air defences are so much better than those of the Soviet Union. Indeed, I believe them to be such. But before making so much play of the strength of Rapier squadrons, can he confirm that there is only one Rapier squadron deployed at a British airfield and that there are plans for a second one? What plans does he have for a more substantial deployment?

Mr. Wellbeloved

I can tell the hon. Gentleman that as a result of our activities there will be more Rapier squadrons deployed for the defence of our airfields than were left by his right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Sir I. Gilmour). It is not my intention to bandy across the House matters which ought not to be so bandied about. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to act irresponsibly—as he does—in defence affairs, that is up to him.