§ Lord BROCKWAYMy 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 what conclusions were reached at the meeting of the NATO Nuclear Planning Group at Ottawa on 7th and 8th June regarding the use of ballistic missiles in the event of war.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, in general terms the meeting reaffirmed the value of ballistic missiles in contributing to the NATO deterrent, although on this occasion there were no specific issues which required more particular conclusions to be drawn about the use of these systems.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether a decision was reached that, unless the Soviet Union makes concessions in the SALT talks, nuclear weapons will be used even in answer to a conventional attack?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, I am not in a position to answer that question. May I refer the noble Lord to the final Communiqué, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, these decisions were reported in The Times and surely, when millions of lives are at stake, the public have the right to know. Did the plan include that the Cruise missile, which is 10 times more destructive than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, should be stationed in a British base among others?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, this is a subject which for security reasons 530 I cannot answer. I can only repeat that a general discussion took place and there were no specific issues that required particular conclusions to be drawn about the use of these systems.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, when millions of lives may be at stake as a result of the use of this new nuclear weapon, have not the British public the right to know?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, negotiations are continuing.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of ST. MARYLEBONEMy Lords, is there not another side to this matter? Is it not a fact that since 1945 we have had a remarkably long period of peace? During that period the noble Lord, Lord Brockway, and those who think with him, have been urging us to give information on the basis that lives are at stake. Is it not possible that the noble Lord, Lord Brockway, is risking millions of lives more than are Her Majesty's Government?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, the fact is that the policy of deterrence has succeeded and we have lived through a period of great tension without war between the major Powers.
§ Lord WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, would not Her Majesty's Government agree that the policy of deterrence is used in two ways in opposite directions, and that the Soviet are just as convinced that they have saved peace by their policy of deterrence as we are convinced that we have done it by our policy? Would Her Majesty's Government agree that without any question of unilateral disarmament it is important that, in the interests of mankind, we reach as soon as possible an agreement about the use of the nuclear deterrent?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMYes, my Lords; that is exactly the policy of Her Majesty's Government.