§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 26 June,Official Report, columns 163–64, if the United States Government have offered to provide Her Majesty's Government with a copy of the US-France nuclear co-operation agreement; and if the Government have requested of the United States Government details of what nuclear information or technology has been shared with France as a result of the arrangement. [38501]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotWe have neither asked for, nor been given, a copy of the memorandum of understanding signed on 4 June 1996. Nor have we sought details of what information or technology has been shared. Bilateral nuclear co-operation between the United States and France is a matter for the Governments concerned. Under the provisions of the UK-US 1958 mutual defence agreement for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for defence purposes, the agreement of the United Kingdom would be required before any transfer by the United States of any nuclear weapons information of British provenance to France.