§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if, in view of his statement in the Defence Estimates that between 1968 and 1978 the number of missile-armed cruisers and destroyers in the Soviety Atlantic fleet has increased from six to 20, he is satisfied with the reduction in the Royal Navy's cruiser force from 20 to 14; and what steps he is taking to remedy the current disparity between 32 Soviet cruisers and destroyers of all types in the Eastern Atlantic alone, and 14 British frigates and cruisers of all types in all areas of the Royal Navy's deployment;
(2) if, in view of his statement in the Defence Estimates that between 1968 and 1978 the number of nuclear-powered submarines in the Soviet Atlantic fleet has increased from 44 to 107, he is satisfied with the reduction in the Royal Navy's submarine force; and what steps he is taking to remedy the current disparity between 197 Soviet submarines of all types in the Eastern Atlantic alone and 30 British submarines of all types in all areas of the Royal Navy's deployment;
(3) if, in view of his statement in the Defence Estimates that between 1968 and 1978 the number of frigates and escorts in the Soviet Atlantic fleet has increased from 45 to 70, he is satisfied with the reduction in the Royal Navy's frigates and escorts from 60 to 54; and what steps he is taking to remedy the current disparity between 70 Soviet frigates and escorts of all types in the Eastern Atlantic and 54 frigates and escorts of all types in all areas in the Royal Navy's deployment.
§ Mr. DuffyThe increase in the strength of the Soviet fleet in the Eastern Atlantic is obviously a matter for concern. I am, however, satisfied that, together with our NATO allies, our forces are sufficient to counter the potential threat. In order to improve the quality and effectiveness of our contribution to the Alliance, a major re-equipment programme is in progress for the Royal Navy including the construction of the new Trafalgar class 633W of nuclear-powered Fleet submarines, the Invincible class of cruisers, type 22 frigates and type 42 destroyers.