HC Deb 22 March 1978 vol 946 cc1484-7
3. Mr. James Lamond

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has had to the draft Programme of Action on Disarmament for the United Nations Special Session on Disarmament.

10. Mr. George Rodgers

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reactions he has received from other Governments to the draft Programme of Action on Disarmament for the United Nations Special Session on Disarmament.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Dr. David Owen)

The draft Programme of Action has been co-sponsored by nine other Western States, has the general support of several others, and now forms the basic Western position paper for this part of the Final Document of the Special Session.

Mr. Lamond

Since the first point in this excellent draft programme is always concerned with the halting and reversal of the nuclear arms race, will my right hon. Friend consider pressing the Government to make sure that a decision about the development and deployment of the neutron bomb is not made until the United Nations Special Session on Disarmament has had an opportunity to get off to a good start in the best of all possible environments?

Dr. Owen

As I understand it, even if the decision were taken immediately to produce the bomb, it would be nearly two years before it could be deployed. A rather misleading impression has been created about the neutron bomb. It is not a separate category of weapon but is a modified design of nuclear warhead. The point of developing such a warhead as compared with those that both sides already have would be to maintain the military effectiveness of the weapon against heavily protected forces, especially armoured formations, while reducing the risk of collateral damage and injuries outside the target area.

Mr. Rodgers

Does my right hon. Friend agree that since the United Kingdom is a member of the NATO Alliance, which has nuclear arms, it seems absurd that we should possess our own nuclear weapon? Would not this be a favourable opportunity to make a practical gesture by renouncing the use of this independent weapon, since no one seems to know in what circumstances we would be prepared to use it?

Dr. Owen

I have never believed that progress in disarmament can be achieved by major unilateral decisions. That is not to say that each side in any multilateral disarmament does not have to make progress simultaneously, and often progress does come from an ability to move from one possibility before another. But I have always believed that the whole strategy of nuclear deterrence is to deter, and that relates to the credibility of being able to use a weapon. In the case of the British nuclear weapon, one of its advantages is that there is a multi-decision point, so that it could always be envisaged as being used only in circumstances in which all of our allies were involved. This multi-decision point adds to the deterrent value.

Mr. Ioan Evans

Does my right hon. Friend agree that there needs now to be a supreme effort by Governments to reduce the build-up of the arms race? Would not the cause of world peace be better served if the resources of East and West were diverted to help solve the problems of the poor in the undeveloped areas rather than being wasted on this vast build-up of military expenditure?

Dr. Owen

I agree, but one must look at both sides of the issue. Whilst reasonable demands are being made by my hon. Friends about our weapon systems, we must also look at those being developed by the Warsaw Pact countries, in particular the new SS20.

Mr. Townsend

Will the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary discuss with our European allies the reality that if we lack conventional forces we lower the nuclear threshold?

Dr. Owen

I do not disagree with that at all.

Mr. Fernyhough

As my right hon. Friend will be aware, both the super-Powers contend that they already have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the entire world many times over. What is the purpose of adding to the number of murderous weapons when we can already, if we so desire and are stupid enough, make a complete graveyard of the entire world?

Dr. Owen

I agree with my right hon. Friend. There is a gross overkill capacity of nuclear megatonnage all over the world. I think, therefore, that there is a great necessity for a reduction in all forms of weapons, but particularly nuclear weapons. This is one of the major objectives of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, which I hope will be successfully concluded in a few months' time. A contribution to that is being made by the comprehensive test ban negotiations, of which we are part.