HC Deb 29 January 1987 vol 109 cc336-7W
Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the reply of 20 January by the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) Official Report, column 524, whether, on his visit to Moscow, in addition to the emphasis on the importance of verification in arms control, his hon. Friend also exchanged views on the detailed outstanding problems that hold up the verification of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

Mr. Renton

The main focus of my talks on arms control in Moscow was the prospects for reductions in nuclear weapons and for strategic defences.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have made available to the appropriate technical authorities within the United States Government their current views on outstanding problems of verification of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

Mr. Renton

We are in regular contact with the United States authorities on the full range of nuclear testing issues.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what detailed information he has on the joint plans of the Australian and Swedish Governments to set up a network of seismic stations to monitor compliance with a verifiable comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

Mr. Renton

We are aware only of a press report on this subject.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to prepare any new technical policy papers on new developments in verification measures for the ad hoc group of scientific experts on nuclear test ban verification which meets in March under the auspices of the United Nations conference on disarmament.

Mr. Renton

The value of producing a further paper is kept under review. But so far there has been only one technical paper directly responding to the United Kingdom's paper CD/610 of July 1985. Meanwhile we look forward to participating fully in the work of the ad hoc group of scientific experts in Geneva.