§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances a Ministry of Defence decontamination squad attended the scene of the accident involving a military convoy at Helensburgh on 20 June.
§ Mr. StanleyIn relation to the circumstances of the accident to which the hon. and learned Gentleman refers, I cannot add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) on 15 July last year.
§ Mr. JannerAccepting, as presumably the Minister does, that this transport was carrying nuclear weapons, that there was an accident and that the decontamination squad was available, what reassurance, if any, is the Minister prepared to give to the public that if there is an accident involving nuclear weapons en route, satisfactory provision will be made to deal with a potentially dangerous situation?
§ Mr. StanleyAs the hon. and learned Member and the House know, it is the policy of this Government, like that of all our predecessors, neither to confirm nor to deny the presence of nuclear weapons. On the generality, I can assure the hon. and learned Gentleman that under successive Governments there have been detailed arrangements on a contingency basis for responding to any nuclear accident that might occur.