PRIME MINISTER
PM/74/73
SECRET
Defence Review:
Parliamentary Statement
I have seen the Defence Secretary's minute of 6 November
to you and agree with his view that one statement would be
preferable to two. Given our public undertaking to consult
our Allies, it will be difficult at this early stage to find
enough material for two statements.
I do not think that the date of the statement need be
determined by Party Conference considerations.
That aspect
of the problem should be manageable and I see no reason why
you should not say to Conference that we have taken our
decision about financial levels in accordance with the
Manifesto and that we shall shortly be making a statement
to Parliament.
The statement might therefore be made either on Thursday
the latter seems close
28 November or on Tuesday 3 December
enough to the Lord President's phrase about the "end of
November".
Whichever day we choose should preferably be the
day on which the presentation to NATO is made. But I believe
that we ought to approach some of our non-NATO Allies to whom
we shall be giving unwelcome news a very few days sooner in
strict confidence so that they do not have the feeling that
SECRET
they are/