§ Mr. Colin ShepherdTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the further limitation of nuclear weapons tests.
§ Mr. MellorFor the foreseeable future the United Kingdom's security will depend on deterrence based, in part, on the possession of nuclear weapons. That will mean a continuing requirement to conduct underground nuclear tests to ensure that our nuclear weapons remain effective and up to date.
We hope that the peaceful nuclear explosions treaty and the threshold test ban treaty will be ratified soon. Further steps to limit tests will then have to be considered. But serious technical problems of verification remain. As thresholds are reduced, verification becomes more important but also more difficult.
A comprehensive test ban remains a long-term goal. Progress will be made only be a step-by-step approach. This must take account of technical advances on verification as well as progress elsewhere in arms control and the attitude of other states.