HL Deb 30 July 1985 vol 467 c261WA
Lord Jenkins of Putney

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How they reconcile their aim of "security with reduced levels of offensive systems on both sides" with their decision to deploy Trident D5.

Lord Trefgarne

The British Government fully supports the United States' aim in the Geneva negotiations of limiting and reducing nuclear arms and of strengthening strategic stability. There is no contradiction between this and the continued deployment by the United Kindgom of a strategic nuclear deterrent force of the minimum effective size. The British strategic nuclear deterrent is and will remain a very small proportion of US and Soviet forces.