§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what steps are being taken to improve communications between the United Kingdom mainland and Royal Navy submarine-launched ballistic missile carrying submarines whilst those submarines are on patrol;
(2) what steps are being taken to improve the floating buoy communications system for use between the United Kingdom mainland and Royal Navy submarine-launched ballistic missile carrying submarines on patrol;
(3) what steps are being taken to improve the trailing wire communications system for use between the United Kingdom mainland and Royal Navy submarine-launched ballistic missile carrying submarines on patrol;
860W(4) if any improvements have been made to the trailing wire very low frequency communications reception systems fitted to Royal Navy submarine-launched ballistic misile carrying submarines, which enable reception at the depth of more than 10 m;
(5) if any improvements have been made to the trailing wire very low frequency communications reception systems fitted to Royal Navy submarine-launched ballistic missile carrying submarines, which enable reception when the submarine is travelling at other than specific tangents to the shore-based transmitting station;
(6) whether the Anthorn very low frequency transmitter has been, or will be, hardened to resist the (a) blast and (b) electromagnetic pulse effects of a nuclear explosion;
(7) whether the Inskip low frequency transmitter has been, or will be, hardened to resist the (a) blast and (b) electromagnetic pulse effects of a nuclear explosion;
(8) whether the Rugby very low frequency transmitter has been, or will be, hardened to resist the (a) blast and (b) electromagnetic pulse effects of a nuclear explosion;
(9) whether the Criggon very low frequency transmitter has been, or will be, hardened to resist the (a) blast and (b) electromagnetic pulse effects of a nuclear explosion;
(10) whether the Glen Garry trial extremely low frequency transmitter will be, hardened to resist the (a) blast and (b) electromagnetic pulse effects of a nuclear explosion;
(11) whether the Crimond low frequency transmitter has been, or will be, hardened to resist the (a) blast and (b) electromagnetic pulse effects of a nuclear explosion.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonI am not prepared to comment for security reasons.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions are given to the commanders of submarine-launched ballistic missile carrying submarines regarding launch autonomy; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonIt has been the policy of successive Governments not to discuss operational matters of this kind.