§ Mr. Denzil DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is prepared to discuss the limitation of Royal Navy submarine operations in the Barents and North Norwegian sea in return for limitation on Soviet submarine operations in the Eastern Atlantic; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ian StewartLimitations on submarine operations would not only pose great problems of verification but would also be likely to be detrimental to the West's security interests in view of our greater dependence on the sea for defence and reinforcement purposes. NATO's arms control priorities, which it is pursuing vigorously, were set out by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 18 November 1987 at column588.