§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the public speech of Vice-Admiral Mackenzie on the occasion of the commissioning of the Polaris submarine "Resolution" at Barrow on 2nd October on the subject of building a fifth Polaris submarine was made with his authority; and if he will give an assurance that there will be no expansion of the Polaris programme.
§ Mr. HealeyVice-Admiral Mackenzie made no public speech on this occasion: in his capacity as Chief Polaris Executive he answered questions from members of the Press at a briefing arranged by the shipbuilders in conjunction with my Department. The decision not to proceed with the construction of a fifth Polaris submarine, of which I informed the House on 15th February, 1965, is unchanged.