§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Newport, East (Mr. Hughes) on 24 March,Official Report, column 162, (1) whether there has been any modernisation of the capability of any United States nuclear warheads and associated weapons systems stationed in the United Kingdom since 1979;
(2) what was the most recent decision on modernisation of nuclear warheads affecting non-strategic weapons systems in service with British forces;
(3) pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Newport, East (Mr. Hughes) on 24 March, Official Report, column 162, what was the most recent modernisation of nuclear warheads affecting non-strategic weapons systems in service with British forces.
§ The Prime MinisterConsistent with the policy of successive Governments I am unable to confirm or deny the presence of United States nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom. As with its conventional weapons systems, the process of in-service modification of NATO's existing nuclear weapons systems is a continuous one. Since this Government came into office in 1979, no decisions have been taken to introduce new sub-strategic nuclear warheads or nuclear capable systems into service with British forces. Ground-launched cruise missiles have been deployed in the United Kingdom since 1983, but otherwise no new United States nuclear capable systems have been stationed in the United Kingdom since 1979.