Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on current progress in research undertaken in the United Kingdom to support the verification requirements of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty; how much is allocated annually by Her Majesty's Government to such verification research; and what collaboration on such verification is undertaken with other countries.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe MOD's research establishment at Blacknest near Aldermaston undertakes seismological research which could be used in establishing the requirements of a verification regime for further constraints on nuclear testing. The cost of this work for the financial year 1988–89 was some £1.5 million.
Scientists from Blacknest have international standing and co-operate with representatives of a number of countries on a bilateral basis. They also provide the United Kingdom's representatives to the conference on disarmament's ad hoc group of scientific experts to consider international co-operative measures to detect and identify seismic events.