HL Deb 25 January 1988 vol 492 cc407-8

2.44 p.m.

Lord Kennet

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the US Administration about the stationing of more F1–11s and F.15s in this country.

The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Lord Trefgarne)

My Lords, the number of United States Air Force F1–11 aircraft assigned to NATO and based in Europe is published each year in the Statement on the Defence Estimates. All these are in fact based in the UK. There are no F.15 aircraft based in the UK nor has the United States Government made any formal request to base any here.

Discussions take place all the time between the British and US Governments about the composition and deployment of United States forces in the United Kingdom; details of these discussions are confidential.

Lord Kennet

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer. Has he heard of the most recent idea from the Pentagon called "the competitive strategy", which it intends to submit to the United States Congress without having discussed it with NATO and which would involve a vast increase of expenditure on Smart and Brilliant weapons designed for actually fighting wars in Europe? Indeed it looks as though they are celebrating the signing of the INF treaty as ushering in the age when fighting wars will become possible once again.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I am not sure whether that question exactly arises from the one on the Order Paper, but I can confirm that I have heard of the strategy to which the noble Lord refers.

Lord Irving of Dartford

My Lords, can the noble Lord confirm a report that NATO is planning to deploy 2,300 new nuclear warheads in Europe designed to hit the same targets as the cruise and Pershing missiles which are to be scrapped under the terms of the INF treaty? If this is correct, would not the Minister agree that such so-called compensatory adjustments would be contrary to the spirit of the INF treaty?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, if I may say so, I think the noble Lord is under a misapprehension. There has been a long-standing policy agreed by the NATO defence ministers which relates to a reduction in the number of nuclear warheads in Europe over a period of years. The recent INF agreement will not change that policy.

The Earl of Halsbury

My Lords, will the noble Lord take pity on the House by telling us what we are talking about? What is an F1–11? Is it a tank, a battleship or what is it? If it is a nuclear warhead, is it strategic or battle or of intermediate range?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, as I said in the original Answer, the F1–11 is in fact an aircraft and it is what is known as a dual-capable aircraft.

Lord Mayhew

My Lords, are we to understand from the noble Lord's first reply that the question of stationing F.15s in this country has been informally discussed with the Americans?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, that is not what I said.