HC Deb 23 February 1982 vol 18 cc738-9
10. Mr. Haynes

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the stationing of chemical weapons in Europe was discussed at the last meeting of NATO Defence Ministers.

Mr. Nott

There was no discussion of chemical weapons at the last meeting of NATO Defence Ministers.

Mr. Haynes

Is the Secretary of State aware that many people do not believe his statements about chemical weapons? When will he come clean to the House and let people know exactly what is going on behind closed doors?

Mr. Nott

I will tell the hon. Gentleman what is going on behind closed doors. The Soviet Union—

Mr. Haynes

Oh come on!

Mr. Nott

The Soviet Union now has 60, 000 troops trained in and specially designated to fight in chemical warfare. Training exercises are carried out on live chemical training grounds and we know that there have been fatal casualties among Soviet troops undertaking such training.

Mr. Haynes

What are we doing?

Mr. Nott

The total stock of chemical weapons held by the Soviet Union is more than 300, 000 tonnes, much of it deployed forward into Europe, with the means of delivering it. That is what is happening behind closed doors.

Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson

Has any European member of NATO so far asked for chemical weapons to be stationed on its soil?

Mr. Nott

There is no proposal at present to deploy the new American binary weapons forward in Europe and the Americans have agreed to consult their European allies before any such forward deployment arises.

Mr. J. Enoch Powell

Do the Government make it clear on every occasion that the stationing of any weapons in the United Kingdom is a matter exclusively within the control and decision of the United Kingdom itself?

Mr. Nott

Of course it is. I am not sure what the right hon. Gentleman is trying to imply.

Mr. Denzil Davies

Will the Secretary of State stop prevaricating about chemical weapons? We all know that there is a Russian stockpile and that there will be an American stockpile, and I hope that negotiations will reduce them. Will the right hon. Gentleman make it clear today that the Government have no intention either to manufacture chemical weapons or to allow such weapons, whether British or American, to be located on British soil?

Mr. Nott

I have repeatedly made it clear that there is no proposal to deploy chemical weapons on British soil. We have taken the lead in trying to obtain a ban on the manufacture of chemical weapons, but, as the Soviet Union, unlike NATO, has a massive lead in chemical weapons deployed forward in Europe, and 60, 000 troops trained to use them, the Soviet Union refuses to agree the verification measures for a ban on such weapons. It is time that the House concentrated on the threat from Soviet chemical weapons rather than on criticising our American allies.

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