HC Deb 28 October 1980 vol 991 cc193-4
12. Mr. Gwilym Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about the cost and dangers of introducing cruise missiles to Great Britain and the proposed Polaris replacement programme.

Mr. Pym

Since last December I have received some 1,000 letters and about 20 petitions about the decision to base United States ground-launched cruise missiles in the United Kingdom, and since July I have received some 70 letters and two petitions on Trident.

Mr. Roberts

Will the Secretary of State reconsider his earlier answers? Will he now realise that it is abhorrent to millions of people in Britain, including a great many who voted Conservative at the last general election, that on the one hand, the Government are spending thousands of millions of pounds on unusable dangerous weapons, while on the other they are destroying social provision and our industrial base, which will be essential in any conflict?

Mr. Pym

I think that a balance of terror is an unacceptable way of preserving the peace. In due course, and as early as possible, we hope that there will be another way. However, I say to the hon. Gentleman that not only is the idea of that abhorrent to people in this country, but that if it were ever put to them it would be abhorrent to people in the Soviet Union and in all the Warsaw Pact countries. One of the major problems that I see is that, unfortunately, there is no way of reaching the Russian people, but I hope that in due course it will be possible to reach them, although I do not know how.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

Since both of these weapons systems are an essential part of an agreed NATO strategy, will my right hon. Friend, in his reply to these matters, point out that it would be political cowardice and moral humbug if we were to duck out of all responsibility and shelter behind other people carrying it?

Mr. Pym

That would be an extremely unwise course. No British Government have regarded it as a sensible course to pursue, and I trust that that will always be the position.

Mr. Leighton

Did the Secretary of State notice that the figure given for the solving of London's housing problem was £5 billion—exactly the price of Trident? Would it not be better to spend the money on housing?

Mr. Pym

If we did not protect London adequately it might be at risk, as it has been before. That is the point that we must recognise.

Mr. Wilkinson

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the modernisation of the Alliance's theatre nuclear forces is one of the most important strategic matters before the House and the country? The Western Powers are outnumbered in theatre nuclear systems by 10:1 in Europe and if we do not wish to be intimidated or blackmailed, we must modernise.

Mr. Pym

Yes. It was a unanimous decision. That modernisation programme is an integral part of the whole defence strategy of NATO.