HC Deb 31 October 1990 vol 178 cc564-5W
Mr. Strang

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response was made by the United Kingdom ambassador to the United Nations, or by another United Kingdom representative or Minister, to the proposal advanced by the Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, on 16 October, that the prohibition of nuclear testing was essential to stop the proliferation of strategic nuclear weapons.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

No response has been given by the United Kingdom permanent representative or other officials to the Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister's proposal on nuclear testing. Our position on nuclear testing is already well known.

Mr. Strang

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any nuclear tests conducted by the United Kingdom in Nevada since 1979 have been undertaken for the purposes of enhancing techniques of verification of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

It has been the practice of successive Governments not to make public the details of nuclear test programmes.