§ Lord Jenkins of Putneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the United States' decision to join Russia and France in a moratorium on nuclear testing means the United Kingdom has been forced to do the same.
§ Baroness TrumpingtonThe UK does not intend to declare a moratorium, nor does the Energy and Water Development Appropriation Act require us to do so. We believe, as does the US Administration, that a minimal testing programme continues to be the best means of ensuring the safety and credibility of our nuclear deterrent. However, it is not practicable for the UK to test while the US Government is itself unable to do so.