§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Lord Privy Seal if his Department has received a copy of "On Countering the Soviet Global Maritime Strategy", published by the Foreign Affairs Research Institute; if it has been studied yet; and if he will make a statement on its views about Soviet maritime strategy.
§ Mr. HayhoeI have been asked to reply. The document has been received and studied. Not every aspect of its conclusions or recommendations is endorsed. But paragraphs 401–411 of the White Paper on defence in the 1980s—Cmnd. 7826-I—which deal with the worldwide Soviet threat, indicate that we agree with its general message about the massive and continuing increase in Soviet maritime capability, and the need for us to take appropriate measures, in consultation with our allies, to equip ourselves to deal with the growing threat which this presents.