File of material concerning defence policy, particularly in relation to nuclear weapons strategy, including:

• Letters from various correspondents to David Owen concerning SDP and David Owen's policy on defence issues, including letters concerning Government proposals to close Chatham naval dockyard, with copies of David Owen's replies, Dec 1981-Aug 1982; letters discussing nuclear deterrent systems, the Comprehensive Test Ban, defence budget etc 1982-1983
• Letter to David Owen from Helmut Schmidt 9 Dec 1982, discussing in detail his views on a European nuclear defence agreement, with MS appraisal of the letter prepared for David Owen by John __?
• Papers concerning possibility of using a `dual key' system for the deployment of nuclear weapons in Britain, including copy of letter from David Owen to Margaret Thatcher in support of a dual key system, 8 Dec 1982 and extract of speech made by David Owen calling for a commitment to a dual key mechanism, 18 Dec [1982]; copy letter from David Owen to Margaret Thatcher, 14 Feb 1983, discussing the issue; letter to David Owen from Secretary of State for Defence Michael Heseltine 17 Feb 1983, discussing the issue
• Copy of David Owen's letter to the Times concerning cuts in the defence budget, 18 Jun 1984
• Reference information on defence issues including Hansard extracts of Parliamentary debates on defence, including statements made by David Owen and other SDP MPs; copied articles and published material on defence.