Dr. ThomasTo ask the Prime Minister if, during her recent visit to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation headquarters in Brussels, she discussed the military implications for NATO defences of developments in the bilateral discussions in Geneva between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on negotiating a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.
§ The Prime MinisterNo. The current negotiations are aimed at agreeing a verification regime which would permit ratification of the threshold test ban and peaceful nuclear explosions treaties. Their ratification would not have military implications for NATO defences. Any further restrictions will be scrutinised to ensure their compatability with NATO security.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Prime Minister if, during her recent visit to NATO, she discussed the commitments made by NATO member states under article VI of the non-proliferation treaty for future nuclear weapon modernisation and adjustments within NATO.
§ The Prime MinisterNo.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Prime Minister if, during her recent visit to the NATO headquarters in Brussels, she made any initiative towards the updating of the Harmel report of December 1967 on redefining future tasks for NATO.
§ The Prime MinisterNo. The course set out for the Alliance in the Harmel report in 1967 remains as valid today as it was then.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Prime Minister if, during her recent visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels, she raised208W the possibility of strengthening the role of the Eurogroup within NATO in terms of (a) nuclear weapons deployment, (b) conventional force deployment and (c) troop deployment in Europe and within European airspace and territorial waters.
§ The Prime MinisterNo.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Prime Minister if, during her recent visit to the NATO headquarters in Brussels, she discussed NATO's cultural arid scientific programmes arid the specific benefits which accrue to the United Kingdom from these programmes.
§ The Prime MinisterThe subjects did not come up during my visit.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Prime Minister if, during her most recent visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels, she raised the issue of the compatibility of the increase in warhead and strike capacity of the Trident II D-5 SLIM system with article I of the North Atlantic treaty of 4 April 1949.
§ The Prime MinisterNo.