HC Deb 14 June 1988 vol 135 cc117-8W
Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy in future defence Estimates to give details of planned(a) United Kingdom nuclear warhead tests and (b) United Kingdom-United States joint nuclear warhead tests at the Nevada test site.

Mr. Sainsbury

All tests of United Kingdom nuclear devices at the Nevada test site are conducted jointly by the United States and United Kingdom. It continues to be the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to announce these tests in advance.

Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans, and in what locations, exist for the test detonation of United Kingdom nuclear warheads in somewhere other than the continental United States in the event of legislation currently in Congress to halt United States nuclear testing being passed into United States law.

Mr. Sainsbury

None.

Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, following the agreement between the United States of America and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics at the Moscow summit to give prior notification of their respective nuclear tests and yields, the United Kingdom will now adopt the same policy for its nuclear warhead tests in Nevada.

Mr. Sainsbury

The hon. Gentleman is mistaken; the agreement for notification reached at the Moscow summit was in respect of flight tests of ballistic missiles, not nuclear tests.

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