HC Deb 09 May 1989 vol 152 cc409-11W
18. Dr. Marek

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's current proposals to modernise short-range nuclear forces.

24. Mr. Patchett

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's current proposals to modernise short-range nuclear forces.

63. Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's current proposals to modernise short-range nuclear forces.

74. Mr. Barron

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's current proposals to modernise short-range nuclear forces.

Mr. Younger

Along with their allies, the British Government believe that to support the strategy of flexible response NATO requires a mix of nuclear forces, including short-range systems, and that these need to be kept up to date and effective where necessary. However, specific proposals on modernisation are made by the appropriate NATO authorities, not by individual nations.

20. Mr. Galbraith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to the development, procurement and deployment of short-range attack missiles with a nuclear capability.

57. Mr. Sedgemore

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to the development, procurement and deployment of short-range attack missiles with a nuclear capability.

58. Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to the development, procurement and deployment of short-range attack missiles with a nuclear capability.

97. Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the development, procurement and deployment of short-range attack missiles with a nuclear capability.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

We are currently considering the options for a possible delivery system for a replacement for the United Kingdom's theatre nuclear weapons, including a derivative of the American short-range attack missile II, the SRAM(T). The SRAM(T) has already been selected by the Pentagon as the basis for a United States nuclear stand-off missile programme.

28. Mr. Bill Walker

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what short-range nuclear air-launched weapons the Warsaw pact has discontinued operating during the 1980s.

60. Mr. David Davis

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what short-range nuclear air-launched weapons the Warsaw pact has discontinued operating during the 1980s.

68. Mr. Dykes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what short-range nuclear air-launched weapons the Warsaw pact has discontinued operating during the 1980s.

Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what short-range nuclear air-launched weapons the Warsaw pact has discontinued operating during the 1980s.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

We have no evidence to indicate that the Warsaw pact has discontinued the use of any of its air-launched nuclear weapons since 1980. Indeed, there are signs that the variety of these weapons held by the Soviet air forces has been increased.

30. Miss Lestor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from his Belgian counterpart about Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

36. Mr. Allen McKay

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from his Belgian counterpart about Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

56. Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from his Belgian counterpart about Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

Mr. Younger

I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Eastham).

31. Mrs. Gillian Shephard

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what short-range nuclear missiles the Warsaw pact has discontinued operating during the 1980s.

43. Mr. Maples

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what short-range nuclear missiles the Warsaw pact has discontinued operating during the 1980s.

101. Mr. Andy Stewart

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what short-range nuclear missiles the Warsaw pact has discontinued operating during the 1980s.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

We do not believe that the Warsaw pact has discontinued the use of any short-range missile systems during the 1980s. It retains a massive 16:1 superiority over NATO in short-range nuclear-capable missile launchers in Europe. The FROG-7 missile, with a range of 70 km has been replaces by the SS-21 missile, with a range of 120 km, in the forward area. We have no indication that the FROG-7s withdrawn have been destroyed. The SS-1 SCUD has been upgraded and remains in service with the Warsaw pact.

39. Mr. Frank Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the most recent proposals for new nuclear artillery shells.

50. Mr. Ray Powell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the most recent proposals for new nuclear artillery shells.

62. Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the most recent proposals for new nuclear artillery shells.

Mr. Younger

I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike).

80. Mr. Anthony Coombs

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what short-range nuclear artillery the Warsaw pact has discontinued operating during the 1980s.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

There is no evidence that Soviet artillery pieces capable of firing nuclear rounds have been removed from service in the 1980s. On the contrary, the Soviet Union has improved both quantitatively and qualitatively its nuclear-capable artillery with the introduction of new weapons systems: the 152mm 2S5, the long-range 203mm 2S7, and the 240mm 2S4 mortar. These new systems provide much greater mobility and firepower.

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