HC Deb 10 April 1984 vol 58 cc181-2
3. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that there will be added security measures in those British ports to be visited by United States ships carrying sea-launched cruise missiles.

15. Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that there will be added security measures in those British ports to be visited by United States ships carrying sea-launched cruise missiles.

The Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr. John Stanley)

Appropriate security arrangements are made for the visits of foreign warships to United Kingdom ports.

Mr. Bennett

Does the Minister accept that there is widespread anxiety about siting cruise missiles over much of southern England and the possibility that they will be placed in our territorial waters and will bring visiting American ships to our ports? Will the Government now pursue negotiations to put these weapons out of existence with as much enthusiasm as they have shown in spreading them throughout the whole of the British Isles and its seas?

Mr. Stanley

I do not recognise the concern to which the hon. Gentleman referred, but I would remind him that the zero option is on the table and can be picked up by the Soviet Union at any time. It was the Soviet Union that walked out of the INF negotiations.

Mr. Roy Hughes

Will the Minister explain the significance of the increase in the number of these visits? Would it not be far wiser for this country to rely on conventional defences? People would then be able to sleep more peacefully in their beds at night.

Mr. Stanley

It is because the Government attach great importance to improving the capabilities of our conventional forces that we have substantially increased the defence budget in real terms, in stark contrast to the manifesto on which the Labour party fought the general election.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

In a previous answer the Minister told me that sea-launched cruise missiles posed similar problems for verification as many existing dual capability weapons. Will he name one existing dual capability strategic missile?

Mr. Stanley

The hon. Gentleman will be aware of the major programme that is taking place within the Soviet Union for developing long-range air-launched, sea-launched and ground-launched cruise missiles. Our view is that these long-range cruise missile systems will all be capable of carrying conventional warheads.

Mr. Denzil Davies

Is it envisaged that American ships carrying cruise missiles with nuclear warheads will call at British ports? If so, are those ships part of the United States strategic defences, or assigned to NATO?

Mr. Stanley

The United States has made it clear that these missiles are part of the strategic deterrence. If requests are made to visit British ports, they will be dealt with in the normal way.