§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government took part in the preparation of the high level group's report to the Montebello nuclear planning group meeting.
§ Mr. StanleyYes.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence why there was no mention of the modernisation component of the Montebello nuclear planning group decision of October 1983 in the subsequent 1984 Defence Estimates.
§ Mr. StanleyI assume the hon. Member is referring to paragraphs 121 to 123 of "The Statement on the Defence Estimates 1984". The purpose of these paragraphs was to highlight the main feature of the Montebello decision, namely the very substantial reductions agreed in NATO's land-based stockpile. The paragraphs also explain the background to the Montebello review, explaining that the starting point was NATO's requirement for
adequate numbers of effective intermediate and short range nuclear forcesfor the purposes of deterrence. The modernisation component was referred to in paragraph 321 of "The Statement on the Defence Estimates 1986" and the full text of the Montebello communiqué, including reference to the modernisation component, was placed in the Library after the Montebello meeting.