Nuclear Weapons (Hansard, 23 February 1988)

§ 25. Mr. Wall
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has as to the number and nature of nuclear weapons accidents or systems malfunctions.

§ 67. Ms. Gordon
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has as to the number and nature of nuclear weapons accidents or systems malfunctions.

§ 92. Ms. Walley
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has as to the number and nature of nuclear weapons accidents or systems malfunctions.

§ Mr. Ian Stewart
I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Preston (Mrs. Wise).

§ 80. Dr. Moonie
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to the extent to which the new generation of nuclear weapons will have a lower threshold of use.

§ 85. Mr. Terry Fields
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to the extent to which the new generation of nuclear weapons will have a lower threshold of use.

§ Mr. Ian Stewart
The British Government, like their NATO allies, remain firmly committed to nuclear deterrence and to the strategy of flexible response. Our policy is to ensure that deterrence is sufficiently effective to prevent any need for present nuclear weapons or future ones ever to be used. No change in strategy is contemplated which would increase the likelihood of nuclear weapons being used. In order to maintain deterrence at the minimum forces necessary, the Alliance must maintain nuclear forces which are effective, responsive and survivable.