LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the assurance given by the Lord Privy Seal on the 29th of April (col. 834 of Hansard) that the major problem of the dispersal and protection of aircraft of the R.A.F. in Germany had "surprisingly enough" not escaped the attention of the Chiefs of Staff, what immediate measures are being taken by the Ministry of Defence to rectify the present deficiencies.]
THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, R.A.F. (LORD WINTERROTTOM)My Lords, the recent emphasis in NATO on the need to consider possible situations below the level provoking a strategic nuclear response has led to studies by ourselves and by NATO staffs of the best methods of developing the protection of aircraft in Germany, and elsewhere. The problem is one of deciding the best mix of active measures, such as the provision of air defence missiles, and passive measures, such as shelters or dispersal off-base. Rapier is already on order for the Royal Air Force; this will lead to a great improvement in our defence against low-level air attack. The Harrier, of which there will eventually be four squadrons committed to NATO, will be able to operate from dispersed sites. We are actively considering what in addition should be done to improve the scale and nature of protection on the ground at the main bases, where, in Germany for example, there are already a certain number of revetments.
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, in thanking the noble Lord for that reply 1178 to my Question, may I ask him whether I am not right in thinking that the noble Lord the Leader of the House implied that the four Harrier squadrons would in fact not be deployed in Germany at all—therefore this hardly arises from my Question—or is he saying that the method chosen of protecting some of the Air Force squadrons in Germany from low-level attack is not to keep them in Germany?
§ LORD WINTERBOTTOMNo, my Lords; I do not think that my noble friend the Leader of the House said that at all. Harriers will be deployed in Germany. What we are talking about is a whole spectrum of measures, as I said, both active and passive, to meet the risk to these aircraft during a phase of war.
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords., I am very grateful to hear that. In point of fact, I think the noble Lord will find that in column 834 of the OFFICIAL REPORT the fact that the Harrier squadrons would not be deployed in Germany is implied; and I hope that this was a slip on the part of the noble Lord the Leader of the House.
§ LORD WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, my noble friend never slips.