HL Deb 18 February 1985 vol 460 cc466-7WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they accept the conclusion of the National Academy of Science's report, The effects on the atmosphere of a major nuclear exchange, which was commissioned by the United States Pentagon, that "long term climatic effects with severe implications for the biosphere could occur" after a major nuclear exchange, and that "these effects should be included in any analysis of the consequences of nuclear war"; and if not, why not.

Lord Elton

The Government note that, in the view of the chairman of the US National Research Council, the report "can only be viewed as an interim statement"; and that the reporting committee of the council concludes, "there are enormous uncertainties involved in the calculations" and that it "cannot subscribe with confidence to any specific quantitative conclusions drawn from calculations based on current scientific knowledge". These judgments confirm the Government's understanding of the need for the more detailed work already in hand, and support also its view that, in the meantime, it would not be sensible to anticipate the validation of the hypothesis. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.