§ Lord Jenkins of Putneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Royal Air Force officers refer to the Soviet Union as "the enemy" and also whether this description has been officially adopted and if so when and on what authority; and whether they will now forbid the usage throughout Her Majesty's Armed Services.
§ The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Lord Trefgarne)The term "enemy" is used legitimately in military and other circles to denote a potential opponent whose military capabilites are judged to pose a threat. Royal Air Force officers, the Armed Services and others discussing military matters may do so against the background of the conventional, chemical and nuclear superiority of Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces in Europe. The latter's superiority gives them the capability to launch an attack against NATO and is the central security problem in Europe. It is the business of our armed forces to be able to deter any potential aggression. Any attempt by the Government to seek to regulate the usage of the English language in the matter would therefore be inappropriate.