§ 15. Mr. Litterickasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current balance of tactical and strategic nuclear weapons in the possession of NATO and Warsaw Pact blocs.
§ Mr. MulleyI refer my hon. Friend to the assessment of the military balance given in the 1976 Defence White Paper (Cmnd. 6432) which sets out the Warsaw Pact nuclear threat and NATO's response to it.
89W
§ 26. Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of the British nuclear test which took place in Nevada on 26th August.
§ Mr. MulleyThe test was necessary in order to maintain the effectiveness of the British nuclear deterrent.
§ 27. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will reconsider his policy towards nuclear war in the light of the findings of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
§ Mr. MulleyHer Majesty's Government subscribe to NATO's deterrent strategy of flexibility in response which is designed to prevent nuclear war. There is nothing in the recently published views of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute that leads us to change our policy.