§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it has yet been decided to replace the Valiant bombers formerly assigned to Supreme Allied Command Europe.
§ Mr. HealeyAfter most careful consideration of all the operational and other factors involved, the Government have formed the view that replacement of the Valiants for the few remaining years of their planned service with N.A.T.O. cannot be justified by military or other considerations sufficient to override the276W countervailing need to deal with the pressures upon our defence programme. S.A.C.E.U.R. and the North Atlantic Council have been so informed.