§ Mr. Murphyasked the Secretary of State for Defence what reponse the Government will make to the Church of England working party report on nuclear weapons and defence.
§ Mr. Blaker:The Government are not called on to make any formal response to the report, which is a matter for the Church of England. However, while we welcome the participation of the Church in the public debate on nuclear defence issues, we do not agree with the recommendations in the report for unilateral disarmament by the United Kingdom and the removal of all nuclear weapons from this country. This course would undermine deterrence, threatening the peace and security which we in this country have enjoyed for 37 years, and would reduce the incentive for the Soviet Union to negotiate balanced arms reductions. The Government will continue to make available information on deterrence and disarmament to enable the public to reach informed conclusions on these vital matters.