Cruise Missiles

HC Deb 10 November 1981 vol 12 cc403-4

1. Mr. Home Robertson

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for copies of his Department's brochure on cruise missiles to be distributed to all households in the United Kingdom.

The Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr. Peter Blaker)

My Department produces a number of publications, including at present two on cruise missiles. I believe it useful that they should be circulated widely and we already send them to all the organisations and individuals who ask for them.

Mr. Home Robertson

In view of the Government's obsession with referendums, would it not be useful if the ludicrous document that provides answers to questions such as "Are nuclear weapons safe?" could be given as wide a circulation as possible? Would it not also be useful if people were enabled to express an opinion whether General Haig should be given the opportunity to start a demonstrative Third World War by firing one of those missiles from British soil?

Mr. Blaker

That document answers many of the questions that we find are of concern to those who write to the Ministry of Defence. The question "Are nuclear weapons safe?" is one of the questions that have been put to us.

Mr. Home Robertson

Are they?

Mr. Blaker

It would be useful to circulate to every household in the kingdom the letter written by the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Mr. John), and his fellow spokesmen on defence on the Opposition Front Bench, in which he said to the trade union leaders that a policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament and the other policies adopted by the Labour Party would threaten the prospects of general disarmament and endanger jobs in Britain's defence industry.

Mr. Trippier

Will my hon. Friend reaffirm the clear message in that document that more widespread deployment of nuclear weapons, and theatre nuclear weapons in particular, does not signal a change in attitude towards their use? Will he confirm that they will still exist as a deterrent, to be used not as a first line of defence or in aggression, but as weapons of last resort?

Mr. Blaker

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. There have been many misunderstandings, which have been to some extent fed by the CND. The cruise missile is in no sense and could not be a first strike weapon. It is a defensive weapon, as are our nuclear weapons.

Mr. Frank Allaun

Is it not a fact that Holland, Norway, Denmark, Canada and other countries will not deploy those missiles in any circumstances? What would happen if the Government went ahead and tried to deploy those weapons in Britain and West Germany, despite the demonstrations throughout Europe? What resistance does the Minister expect?

Mr. Blaker

For once the hon. Gentleman is wrong in his premise. Holland and Denmark have not refused to accept those weapons. A decision has not been made. Italy has decided where they are to go, and the Germans have accepted them in principle.