HC Deb 25 January 1990 vol 165 cc844-5W
Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies he has commissioned into the purported change of Soviet military doctrine from an offensive to a defensive one.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

We welcome the recent shift in emphasis in Soviet military doctrine towards defensive objectives. In consultation with our allies we are studying closely statements by senior Soviet spokesmen on the subject, and will continue to watch with interest the evolution of Soviet views on "reasonable sufficiency" in defence. We are also monitoring the extent to which force structures are modified to reflect changes in doctrine.