§ Mr. Strangasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the development of the British Trident system is compatible with the Government's obligations under article 6 of the non-proliferation treaty.
§ Mr. LuceYes. Future acquisition of Trident will not violate article VI of the non-proliferation treaty, and will represent the minimum capability necessary to deter aggression. In accordance with this treaty article we remain committed to seeking agreements on effective nuclear arms control. The first priority must be balanced and verifiable reductions in the large arsenals of the superpowers.