§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the Government have been consulted about the construction of storage facilities for the possible deployment of binary chemical weapons in time of crisis in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether the Government have been consulted by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or United States officials on the contingency operations plan for the deployment of binary chemical weapons completed in June; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what public consultation will be held before a decision is made on the construction of storage facilities for the possible deployment of binary chemical weapons in time of crisis at United States bases in Britain.
§ Mr. FreemanThe United States have briefed NATO's military committee on their national plan for the contingency deployment of binary chemical munitions. The military committee noted this plan: if was not required to endorse or approve it. The details of this briefing are classified, but the United States plan does not designate any specific country as a destination for receiving binary munitions. The United Kingdom has not been approached about the possible contngency deployment of United States chemical weapons specifically in this country. If such a request were ever to be received, it would be a matter for decision by the Government of the day, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at the time. Any deployment to the United Kingdom at any time would require the consent of Her Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government have been consulted on the possibility of basing binary chemical weapons on maritime prepositioned ships off western Europe in peacetime; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanNo.