HL Deb 19 February 1964 vol 255 cc873-4

2.45 p.m.

LORD KENNET

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Questions was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Polaris missiles which they propose to buy under the Nassau Agreement will be equipped with the "PX" systems now under development in the United States.]

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I regret that I cannot divulge anything about this, for reasons of national security.

LORD KENNET

My Lords, are the Government aware that a certain amount has been divulged already in the American technical Press: that this "PX" system is a penetration aid which is designed to enable Polaris rockets to get through any anti-missile system that the Russians may devise; that, therefore, Polaris missiles without such a system will stand a greater chance of being shot down in flight than missiles with it; and that it is, therefore, an acute question for us whether we shall be able to purchase the American system, or whether we shall have to develop our own?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I entirely agree about the importance of this matter. I have noted the observations of the American technical Press about it and, pro-American though I am, I am not prepared to follow the example of the American technical Press.