HC Deb 25 April 1978 vol 948 cc1166-7
10. Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he next intends to meet the NATO Defence Ministers.

Mr. Mulley

I shall next meet the other NATO Defence Ministers at the ministerial meeting of the Defence Planning Committee in Brussels on 18th-19th May.

Mr. Evans

Will my right hon. Friend make it clear to his colleagues that he and the British Government will not support any argument in favour of deploying the neutron bomb within NATO? Will he also make it clear to his colleagues that arguments in favour of this weapon by Conservative Party spokesmen are resented deeply by millions of British citizens?

Mr. Mulley

My hon. Friend's first question is unlikely to arise. My sense of the discussions at the most recent meeting of the Nuclear Planning Group was that its members accept President Carter's decision, as I do. I am not sure that the views of Conservative spokesmen would he of major interest to my ministerial colleagues.

Mr. Jim Spicer

At that meeting, will the Secretary of State be pressing upon his colleagues how vitally important it is for the future of our NATO defence strategy that the arms embargo on Turkey should be lifted at the earliest possible opportunity?

Mr. Mulley

I think that the hon. Member is referring to the embargo by the United States. I do not know whether that will come up directly or bilaterally. As the hon. Member knows, discussions are taking place between the two countries. We shall be looking at the longterm defence plans which are to be submitted to the Summit. Obviously this matter will be relevant in that context.