§ Mr. Canavanasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the threat to international peace and the economic situation at home and abroad, he will advise the Conference on European Security that Great Britain intends to set an example by initiating a radical reduction in arms expenditure.
§ The Prime MinisterNo. Although the "security" element in the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe has been small it has none the less made a step towards military confidence building in Europe. We must now look to progress in the Vienna negotiations on mutual and balanced force reductions if real progress is to be made in correcting the present imbalance of forces in Central Europe. For our own part we have already undertaken a thorough review of Britain's defence policy with the aim of reducing the burden of defence expenditure without jeopardising our security. But as has been made plain to the House on numerous occasions the Government do not plan, in advance of an MBFR agreement, to reduce the forces which we maintain in the Federal Republic of Germany below the level agreed in accordance with our Brussels Treaty obligations.