§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's latest assessment of the threat from the Soviet Union to the security of the United Kingdom.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Soviet Union, together with the other members of the Warsaw pact currently possesses a large superiority in conventional ground and air forces in Europe, as well as very powerful naval and nuclear forces, and will continue to do so even after the recently promised unilateral cuts have been implemented.
As long as the Warsaw pact retains military forces on this scale, the capability that they provide for aggression, if intentions should change, cannot be ignored. NATO's aim is to remove the imbalance of forces in Europe by negotiated reductions, to create a lasting, stable peace, in which all states can enjoy security with freedom with the minimum necessary forces.