§ 3.11 p.m.
§ Lord GLADWYNMy 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 why, seeing that the activation of cruise missiles in this country will be the result of a joint Anglo-American decision, they cannot agree to their being operated on the principle of the "double key".
§ The MINISTER of STATE, MINISTRY of DEFENCE (Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal)My Lords, the arrangements which will apply for control over the US ground-launched cruise missiles to be based in this country have operated satisfactorily for over 20 years. A "dual-key" system would entail the United Kingdom purchasing the cruise missile systems (except the war-heads) and providing the manpower to operate and maintain them. The Government do not believe that this would be a sensible use of defence resources.
§ Lord GLADWYNMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply, may I ask whether the real question is not whether or not we have an effective veto on the firing of these missiles? This is really a more far-reaching question than that posed by present arrangements for the employment of certain nuclear missiles on aeroplanes by Americans in this country. Seeing that it is a more important question, and it should be firmly established whether or not we have a veto, could not the Government ask the Americans whether they would not in these circumstances give us the right to have a double key system, despite the fact that we are not going to purchase the missiles?
§ Lord STRATHCONA and MOUNT ROYALMy Lords, it has been said many times that the matter of the control of these bases is a question of joint decision between the two Governments in the light of the circumstances prevailing at the time. The bases may not be used without such a joint decision. I do not know whether the noble Lord calls that a veto or not.