§ 17. Mr. Wallaceasked the Secretary of State for Defence when he next intends to meet his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts to discuss proposals to equip the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation with binary chemical weapons.
§ Mr. YoungerAs my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces explained in answer to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 7 March, a force goal concerning the modernisation of United States' chemical weapon stocks is being considered collectively within NATO. My NATO colleagues and I will meet to discuss allied defence planning matters at the meeting of the Defence Planning Committee on 22 May.
§ Mr. WallaceWhat would be the Secretary of State's attitude to the force goal, having regard to reports that the United States' current stock of chemical weapons is still serviceable, and having regard to the moral repugnance that those weapons create? Is it not a waste of valuable military resources on something which may not serve the purpose for which it was designed?
§ Mr. YoungerThe hon. Gentleman is aware that this is a matter for discussion within NATO. For our part, we believe that there is a vast and increasing capability in the Soviet Union. NATO and the United States should consider their response to that capability.