Mr Patrick Wall: About 20 years ago I found myself as the British representative on the third committee of the United Nations which dealt with colonial problems. My references to apartheid caused official complaints from the then South African Foreign Minister. At that time I and a number of my hon. Friends now in the House fought to keep Cape coloureds on the parliamentary lists. The Nationalist Government...
Mr Patrick Wall: I am not saying that it is entirely beneficial for the blacks. I am simply suggesting that to bring them to equality, economically and politically, takes time and education, and that is not fully widespread at present. [Interruption.] If we imposed sanctions or disinvestment, black Africans would receive little education. One need only think of some of the other countries in the continent....
Mr Patrick Wall: Will my hon. Friend make quite certain that in future when there is a competition all sides know the rules? He will know that in respect of the competition for the RAF trainer there was a strong feeling that the rules were not known.
Mr Patrick Wall: I hope that the right hon. Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Dr. Owen) will forgive me for not pursuing his argument about the financing of our defence policy. However, I agree with him that it is good that that matter has now been thoroughly ventilated in the House. The argument will obviously continue when we come down to brass tacks in the next few years. I also of course agree with what he...
Mr Patrick Wall: That is ridiculous.
Mr Patrick Wall: Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in the Eastlant, NATO is 80 per cent. dependent on the Royal Navy, particularly in the first three days? Has he never heard of the GIUK gap or the 190 nuclear submarines in the Soviet northern fleet? All those things are at the heart of NATO's strategy. The hon. Gentlenan clearly has no concept of NATO's maritime strategy.
Mr Patrick Wall: Is my right hon. Friend prepared to deny that the PC9 is the aircraft that the RAF wanted? Is he aware that his decision will probably cost 2,000 jobs in England and Scotland and the loss of the Pratt and Whitney factory in Scotland? It has long been obvious that Shorts can cut its prices — being a nationalised firm, it does not have to bear the losses—whereas British Aerospace cannot.
Mr Patrick Wall: Will my right hon. Friend purchase the Copperhead laser-guided I55mm shell? If not, why not, given the fact that recently it scored 10 hits out of 10?
Mr Patrick Wall: I join with the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) in his complaint about the timing of the debate. It is quite disgraceful to debate each service on one day only per year and then start after three statements and business questions. I want to make a few points about NATO and finish with a constituency point. The House will know that the Soviet army attacks on a narrow...
Mr Patrick Wall: I would rather not give way as I am short of time. SDI depends largely on laser particle beams and kinetic energy, some of the lasers being reflected by mirrors. It also depends on very high speed integrated circuits—the most modern computer technology. Are we keeping up to date with this research? The Prime Minister mentioned this in Washington only yesterday, but I should like to know...
Mr Patrick Wall: I agree with my hon. Friend. I remind the House that Shorts has just won a lucrative aircraft contract which will keep it pretty well occupied for some time, and that Humberside and the Prestwick area of Scotland could benefit by about 2,000 jobs if we were to order the PC-9. I commend to the Government early-day motion 217 which has been signed by more than 100 hon. Members. I very much hope...
Mr Patrick Wall: Does the hon. Gentleman appreciate that it was the Labour Government who introduced Nimrod III, against the advice of many who formed the then Conservative Opposition, who wanted to go into the NATO AWACS programme.
Mr Patrick Wall: Would it not have been much wiser if we had joined the NATO AWACS programme, as many hon. Members suggested at the time?
Mr Patrick Wall: When considering these tenders, will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that only the PC9, linked with the Hawk advanced trainer, will form a package that could provide major export orders?
Mr Patrick Wall: One must greatly regret the action of the South African Government in the arms case. However, what positive action does my hon. Friend intend to take to prevent the Durban three from making further propaganda against their own Government, which, as my hon. Friend says, could be against international law? What does a review mean? Will my hon. Friend close the consulate or turf the men out?
Mr Patrick Wall: This country is almost unique in that throughout its history it has pursued a combination of continental and maritime strategies. The question that we have to face today is whether we have the balance right. I believe that at present we have, but I have some fears for the future. While my contribution may be more technical than is normally the case, at least it is based in a number of years'...
Mr Patrick Wall: It would be fair to Senator Nunn to remind the House that he advocated cuts only in order to persuade the European Governments to meet their proper defence expenditure targets. Most of them are not doing so.
Mr Patrick Wall: Is it not true that what matters is not the Soviet overture but the fact that now, for the first time, Europe has a chance of shooting back if it ever becomes necessary, and therefore avoiding world war 3?
Mr Patrick Wall: asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase the number of escort vessels in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's east Atlantic area.
Mr Patrick Wall: Is my hon. Friend aware that both SACLANT and CINCHAN have said that we are so deficient in escort vessels that we cannot carry out our operational tasks? Will my hon. Friend remember the 50 American destroyers that we were given in the last war? Would it not be better to mothball old frigates than sell or scrap them?
