§ Commander Keransasked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the total cost to Her Majesty's Government of cancelling the Polaris programme and of the number of firms who would be involved in cancelled sub-contracts for each vessel.
§ Mr. HayNo such estimate has been made. But I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 15th July (HANSARD, Column 1200) to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucestershire, Stroud (Mr. Kershaw).
§ Commander Keransasked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the approximate cost of converting a partially built nuclear Polaris submarine to the pure hunter-killer rôle.
§ Mr. HayNo such estimate has been made, as it is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to convert these submarines in the way mentioned.