§ Mr. Cabornasked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has made in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation for the negotiation of reductions in battlefield nuclear weapons by both the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Warsaw pact countries.
§ Mr. StanleyBattlefield nuclear weapons are not currently the subject of arms control negotiations. Priority is rightly being given by the United States and the Soviet Union to reaching agreements on strategic and intermediate range weapons. However, NATO has made clear its commitment to retain only the minimum forces required for deterrence, as has been demonstrated by the withdrawal of 1,000 warheads from Europe since 1979, and the decision at Montebello in 1983 to remove a further 1,400 over the next few years.