HC Deb 14 May 1987 vol 116 cc342-5W
Mrs. Clwyd

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all treaties, agreements, memoranda of understanding and other formal arrangements currently in force between the United States of America and the United Kingdom, covering the collaborative research, development and production of defence equipment and British participation in United States defence programmes.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

[pursuant to his reply, 1 May 1987, c. 300]: The major arrangements currently in effect between the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States covering collaborative research development and production of defence equipment are as follows. We have tried to make these lists as comprehensive as possible. However, there are numerous relatively minor arrangements, particularly in research and information exchange, of which it would be disproportionately costly to attempt to compile a comprehensive schedule. The lists do not include arrangements of a classified nature; nor do they cover supplies of British defence equipment to the United States under purely commercial arrangements.

General

Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, signed 27 January 1950 (Cmnd. 7894).

Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America to Facilitate the Exchange of Patents and Technical Information for Defense Purposes, dated 19 January 1953. (Cmnd. 8757).

Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, signed 19 January 1953.

United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland General Security Agreement, signed 14 April 1961.

Agreement Relating to Defense: Weapons Production Program between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, dated 29 June 1962. (Cmnd. 1863).

United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Memorandum of Understanding Arrangements for Joint Military Development, May 1963.

The Basic Standardization Agreement Among the Armies of the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, and Australia: 1 October 1964.

Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the United States and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland relating to the Principles Governing Cooperation in Research and Development, Production, Procurement and Logistic Support of Defence Equipment dated December 1985.

Date of Original Arrangement
Sea systems
Sea Gnat Decoy System (includes Denmark) January 1977
Sub Harpoon (bilateral) August 1981
NATO Frigate Replacement for the 1990s (includes Canada. France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain) May 1984
Advanced Sea Mine (bilateral) September 1986
Ship launched Harpoon (bilateral) October 1986
Land systems
Standardization of 155mm howitzers and ammunition (includes Germany) February 1969
Standardization of Main Battle Tank Armament (includes Germany) April 1974
Remotely Piloted Vehicles (bilateral) October 1978
Tow Anti Tank Guided Weapon (bilateral) October 1978
Multiple Launch Rocket System Phase I (includes France, Germany and Italy) June 1979
Acquisition of Non Tactical Vehicles and Spares for US Forces in UK (bilateral) July 1979
Special Armours Information Exchange (bilateral) September 1979
Rapier for USAF Bases in UK and Turkey (bilateral) February 1981
Second Generation Anti Tank Guided Weapons (includes France and Germany) April 1981
Multiple Launch Rocket System Phase III (includes France and Germany) September 1981
155mm Autonomous Precision Guided Munitions (includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Turkey) June 1986
Tactical Communications for post 2000 (bilateral) April 1987
Air systems
Phantom/Hercules Procurement (bilateral) February 1965

Date of Original Arrangement
Research and Development Cooperation on Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (bilateral) April 1972
JP 233 Air-to-Ground Weapon (bilateral) August 1976
Sky Flash Joint Trials Programme (bilateral) March 1977
NATO AEW & C (includes Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Turkey) December 1978
Sidewinder AIM 9b European Production (includes Germany, Italy and Norway) January 1979
Harrier GR5/AV8-B (bilateral) April 1979
AMRAAM/ASRAAM Family of Weapons (including France and Germany) August 1980
Long Range Stand Off Missile (includes Germany) July 1984
Short Range Anti-Radiation Missile (includes Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy and Netherlands) October 1984
Purchase of AW ACS (bilateral) February 1987
Cooperative Logistics Arrangement (bilateral) May 1966
Cooperation on Fuel Cell Research (bilateral) November 1968
Cooperative Research and Development on Diving (bilateral) October 1970
Development of Personal Radiation Dosimeter (bilateral) May 1973
Mutual Acceptance of Quality Assurance Procedures (bilateral) April 1974
Navstar Satellite Navigation System (includes Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Netherlands) May 1978
Anti Misting Kerosene Studies (bilateral) June 1978
Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (bilateral) January 1979
Multifunctional Information Distribution System (includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Norway and Spain) January 1980
Interest Bearing Account with the Federal Reserve Bank for United Kingdom Foreign Military Sales Procurement (bilateral) March 1980
NATO Identification System (includes Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Turkey) May 1980
Mutual Acceptance of Ordnance Test Procedures (bilateral) July 1980
Mutual Acceptance of Test and Evaluation Procedures for Reciprocal Procurement of Defence Equipment (includes France and Germany) December 1983
Millimetre Wave Seekers Programme (bilateral) June 1984
Cooperative Research for the US Strategic Defense Initiative (bilateral) December 1985
Advanced Short Take Off/Vertical Landing Technology Programme (bilateral) January 1986
Airborne Radar Demonstrator Programme (includes France) October 1986
ADA Computer Language, Project Support Environment (includes Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Spain) December 1986
Universal Modem (bilateral) January 1987

Mrs. Clwyd

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all treaties, agreements, memoranda of understanding and other formal arrangements currently in force between the United States of America and the United Kingdom covering the exchange of information, materials and designs concerning the research development and production of nuclear weapons.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

[pursuant to his reply, 1 May 1987,c. 300]: The list is as follows:

  1. (i) The agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America for "Co-operation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes" (Cmnd. 537 July 1958) (as amended by Cmnd. 859 November 1959 and Cmnd. 3842 December 1968).
  2. (ii) The "Polaris Sales Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland the the Government of the United States of America" (Cmnd. 1995 April 1963), as extended to cover the procurement of the Trident missile system.