asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation last considered the possibility of the construction in peacetime of a physical barrier along the West German border with Eastern Europe; what forms of barrier were considered; what were the costings; what assessment was made of the potential impact of the construction of such a barrier on Union of Soviet Socialist Republics' policy regarding the use of nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.
As I said in my reply to the hon. Member's question on 18 March, at column 407, no physical barrier along the West German border with East Germany could ever be certain to be impenetrable. Our researches have revealed no detailed consideration by NATO of the construction of such a barrier since the Alliance's present strategy of flexible response was adopted in 1967.