HC Deb 02 May 1980 vol 983 cc696-7W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the French Atlantic Fleet and French forces in Germany have been included in figures 4 and 5 of the Defence White Paper as part of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces; and what assurances have been received from the French Government that these forces would be fighting alongside British forces in the event of conflict with Warsaw Pact countries.

Mr. Pym

France withdrew from the integrated military structure of the North Atlantic Alliance in 1966 and since then French forces have not been assigned to NATO. Nevertheless, France is a party to the North Atlantic Treaty, article 5 of which states that an armed attack on one member will be considered an attack on all. The Soviet Union would, therefore, have to take account of French forces in weighing up the risks of attempting to use its military power.