HL Deb 19 May 1986 vol 475 cc2-3

2.38 p.m.

Lord Kennet

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will now make the proposed deployment of US nuclear missiles at Molesworth subject to physical dual control.

The Minister of State for Defence Support (Lord Trefgarne)

No, my Lords. We are entirely satisfied with the effectiveness of existing arrangements.

Lord Kennet

My Lords, will not the Government at last take the opportunity presented by the arrival of the second contingent of United States cruise missiles at Molesworth to do the right thing? It is what an enormous majority of people have wanted all along and what was done by the Macmillan Government way back in the days of the Thors and Titans; namely, to have physical dual control as well as political dual control.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, there is no need to proceed as the noble Lord suggests because, as I have said on a number of occasions, the effect of present arrangements is that no nuclear weapon will ever be fired from British facilities without the agreement of the British Prime Minister.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that while he may believe what he has just said, no one else does? The problem is that recent events have shown that without operational control the government of this country have no influence over the matter at all. Will the Minister not take note of the arrival of the noble Lord, Lord Kennet, in this cause, which I have been pressing for so long? With such valuable additional help and having regard to recent events, will he not think again and ask his colleagues to reconsider the position? Does not the Minister agree that it is very important that this country should have control over missiles which are fired from its own soil?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I reject the proposition that recent events have done other than wholly endorse the satisfactory arrangements now in place.

Lord Boston of Faversham

My Lords, can the Minister say whether there are any nuclear weapons in this country which are subject to physical dual control? If that is not the case, why not?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, as far as I know there are no nuclear weapons in this country subject to physical dual control. The answer as to why they are not is that the alternative existing arrangements are entirely satisfactory.