HL Deb 30 June 1988 vol 498 cc1819-20WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Trident missiles they hope to purchase from the United States will be covered or affected by the agreements reached by the United States and Soviet Governments and specified in the "Joint Statement between the USSR and the USA issued following meetings in Moscow, USSR, 29th May/1st June 1988", in particular those spelled out as intended to form part of the "START verification measures", and specifically:

  1. "(a) Data exchanges … including locations and vicinities for production, final assembly … repair …
  2. (b) Base-line inspections to verify the accuracy of these declarations …
  3. (d) Continuous on-site monitoring of the perimeter and portals of critical production facilities to confirm the output of weapons to be limited.
  4. (e) …
    • (II) Locations where systems covered by this treat remain after achieving the agreed limits …
  5. (h) Procedures that enable verification of the number of warheads on deployed ballistic missiles of each specific type, including on-site inspection".

Lord Trefgarne

The US/Soviet START negotiations cover US and Soviet strategic weapons only. The details of the verification provisions have yet to be agreed.