HC Deb 29 January 1985 vol 72 c153W
17. Mr. Norman Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will meet his American counterpart for the purpose of dissuading the United States of America from further research into the use of nuclear weapons in space.

Mr. Heseltine

Research into weapons is permitted under existing US-Soviet treaties, and the Soviet Union is also conducting research in this field. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear, however, deployment would, in view of treaty obligations, have to be a matter for negotiation.