HL Deb 15 July 1982 vol 433 c567WA
Lord Chelwood

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What cuts the Soviet Union has made or proposed in telephone links with Britain and what explanations they have sought with what results.

The Minister for State for Defence Procurement (Viscount Trenchard)

The Soviet authorities have informed British Telecommunications of their intention to reduce the number of circuits between Moscow and London to 14 in each direction. This is a reduction from 46 circuits from London to Moscow and from 42 in the other direction. The reason given was that to continue to provide the larger number would present technical difficulties in the Soviet Union. I understand that the cuts have not yet been implemented.