§ 14. Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent communications he has had about the proposal to base the Trident weapon in Scotland.
§ Mr. HeseltineI have received a few letters from organisations and private individuals.
§ Mr. CanavanIs the Secretary of State aware that, apart from a dwindling number of militant Tories, nobody in Scotland wants this terrorist weapon? In view of yesterday's announcement about increased prescription charges and cuts in overseas aid when people are starving to death in the Third world, why are the Government proposing to spend over £10,000 million on a weapon of death, instead of spending that amount of money on the preservation of human life?
§ Mr. HeseltineThe Government are to modernise the Polaris system by the introduction of Trident for the same reasons as the previous Government modernised Polaris with Chevaline. If the hon. Gentleman believes that there is overwhelming evidence of opinion in Scotland, he will, perhaps, take into account the evidence of the letters that I have received about Scottish opinion on this matter—one from the president of Strathclyde university students association, one from Streatham CND and three from members of the public, two of whom live in England.