§
Order read for resuming adjourned debate on amendment to Question [19 July]:
That this House approves the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1983, contained in Cmnd. 8951.—[Mr.Heseltine.]
§
Which amendment was to leave out from "House" to the end of the Question and to add instead thereof:
believes that the plans outlined in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1983 (Cmnd. 8951) do not provide the United Kingdom with a viable defence against aggression; regrets the Government's failure to take any initiative to stop the escalation of the nuclear arms race and, as a first step, to support a nuclear freeze; notes that the Government plans would require the United Kingdom, which already spends more on the defence of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation both in terms of gross national product and per head of the population than arty other member of the Alliance, to increase that spending still further; and therefore calls upon the Government to work within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation for a strong non-nuclear defence policy and, in particular, to cease its reliance upon Trident and the deployment of Cruise missiles within the United Kingdom."—[Mr. Silkin.]
§ Question again proposed, That the amendment be made.