§ 12. Mr. Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the number of SS20 missiles targeted on western Europe.
§ Mr. StanleyThere are currently 243 SS20 missiles targeted on western Europe, which means 729 SS20 warheads.
§ Mr. ChapmanIs it not the case that if, at any time over the past four years, Russia had agreed to dismantle its SS20s, cruise need not have been deployed? Far from doing so, the Russians tripled the number targeted on western Europe. Is it not still Government policy, nevertheless, that we would withdraw cruise if the Russians agreed to dismantle all of their SS20s?
§ Mr. StanleyI can confirm that NATO's clear policy is to withdraw both its cruise and Pershing II missiles if the Soviet Union removes its SS20s, and its SS4s and SS5s.
§ Mr. KirkwoodWhile I recognise that there has been an increase in the number of SS20s, may I ask the Minister to turn his attention to newspaper reports last week to the effect that the United States is at present turning out eight nuclear warheads each day? What will that do for the confidence-building measures in Stockholm?
§ Mr. StanleyThe hon. Gentleman must consider the historical perspective. It was the Soviet Union which took the initiative in producing a new type of longer-range intermediate ballistic missile. It began to deploy them in 1977 and the numbers have increased remorselessly ever since. When NATO took its dual track decision in 1979, there were 81 missiles facing west. By November 1981 there were 171, and there are now 243. The escalation has been wholly on the Soviet side.
§ Mr. CormackHow many so-called peace camps are there outside the SS20 bases?
§ Mr. StanleyAs my hon. Friend knows, the answer is zero. That is symptomatic of the profound differences between our two societies.