§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the approximate cost of the series of Polaris missile tests announced on 20th July; what is the purpose of these tests; whether they mean a new generation of nuclear weapons; whether they will make Great Britain a more likely target if a nuclear bomb were launched against the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics by design or accident; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MulleyIt is not the practice to disclose estimates of costs of such tests. The tests are in pursuance of the Government's policy of maintaining the effectiveness of the deterrent and do not indicate a move toward a new generation of strategic nuclear weapons. Our security is centred on NATO, to which Polaris is committed. The risks of aggression are thus shared equally by all members of the Alliance. The collective defence which NATO maintains, involving conventional as well as nuclear forces, reduces the risk that aggression of any kind will occur against us or our allies.