§ Q38. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Prime Minister how many warheads are expected to be deployed by British Trident submarines; and what account she has taken of this in her support for Mr. Reagan's zero option of not deploying cruise and Pershing II missiles in Europe if Mr. Andropov will destroy his SS20 missiles in view of the fact that the British Trident submarine will carry missiles capable of intermediate range use.
§ The Prime MinisterLike previous Governments, we do not comment on the number of warheads carried by our strategic deterrent. In any case, it has no bearing on our support for the NATO position at the INF negotiations in Geneva, which deal with the land-based intermediate range missiles of the Soviet Union and the United States. Our national deterrent is independent, sea-based and strategic. It has no relevance to the INF negotiations and is excluded from them by definition.