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The Committee
(1)
Invited the Defence Secretary in consultation with the
Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Commonwealth Secretary to revise the draft policy and planning section of the White Paper on the lines indicated by the Prime Minister and to circulate a revised draft to the Committee.
(2) Agreed to resume their discussion in the light of
Conclusion (1).
HMS ARK ROYAL
In further discussion THE DEFENCE SECRETARY drew attention to his
correspondence with the Chancellor of the Exchequer which had been copied to other members of the Committee, about the refit of
HMS ARK ROYAL. This project, at a cost of £30 million, was already in
hand and was an essential part of the existing plan to maintain
carriers in the Fleet until about 1975. £5 million had already been
committed and by July a further £2 million would have to be spent.
It might be that when the current defence review was completed, we
should decide to dispense with carriers earlier than was now planned
and in that event the expenditure would be wasted. Nevertheless, there were no grounds at present on which we could take and anounce a
decision not to proceed with the refit. If this had to be done, it
must be in the context of a general statement about the future role
and equipment of the Royal Navy, including decisions on the associated
Phantom aircraft programe, To continue with the refit of the ship
until July would not prejudge the outcome of the further defence studies
now in hand.
The Committee
(3) Lgreed that the refit of HMS ARK ROYAL should continue
subject to the outcome of the current defence studies, but without prejudice to them.
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