In response to your Press Notice regarding the request from the US Government for an upgrade of the facilities at Fylingdales. I would wish to suggest to the Select Committee that rather than providing any potential security benefits to the UK or the world as a whole, the implementation of the AMD programme would present a serious security RISK to global stability and that the UK, and particularly the area around Fylingdales would become a significant target.

  I know that I am not alone in being increasingly concerned about US Government foreign policy particularly with regards to defence. The AMD programme has very dubious benefits from a technical point of view, and would have the effect of increasing insecurity and instability across the globe rather than promoting the search for peaceful solutions to problems.

  That the US Government is seeking to implement this upgrading under the mantle of "security against terrorism", I would suggest is a flawed argument at best. The AMD programme would have no effect whatsoever against terrorist attacks of the type that destroyed the World Trade Centre, and would only serve to further aggravate political instability in the world.

  I would urge the Select Committee to reject the application for the upgrade and rather to request the American bases both at Fylingdales and at Menwith Hill to give public account of their activities at these stations.