§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Defence what will be the operational rôle of the British nuclear force within the new concept of the multilateral North Atlantic Treaty Organisation defence strategy; to what extent within the multilateral Western defence force Great Britain will have independence on communications, particularly to the projected Polaris submarine fleet; and whether the British Polaris submarine fleet will have complete independence on selection of targets and patrols.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftAll British nuclear forces subscribed to N.A.T.O. will be targetted in accordance with N.A.T.O. strategy. Her Majesty's Government, however, have the right to use British nuclear weapons for any purpose if they decide that supreme national interests are at stake. Communications and targeting plans will allow for this dual rôle.