HC Deb 14 March 1988 vol 129 cc486-7W
Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on progress in the development of binary chemical weapons in the United States of America.

Mr. Ian Stewart

The US Department of Defence has said that final assembly of 155mm artillery shells commenced in December 1987 and that the construction of production facilities for the Bigeye air delivered bomb has also recently been authorised.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there is any military role which is specific to chemical weapons alone; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ian Stewart

Chemical weapons have a particular property that the mere threat of their use by an aggressor requires the defenders to wear protective equipment which imposes severe physiological degradation. That is why, although NATO affords a high priority to the protection of forces against the effects of chemical weapons, all its members are committed to the early conclusion of a global ban.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the implications of the total elimination of chemical weapons for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's strategy of flexible response; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ian Stewart

A verifiable global elimination of chemical weapons would remove a major imbalance in East/West military capabilities.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the retention of a limited chemical warfare capability by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces is an integral part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's strategy of flexible response.

Mr. Ian Stewart

There are no chemical weapons declared to NATO. However, in the absence of a comprehensive and verifiable ban on chemical weapons, and in the light of the massive Soviet CW capability, the modernisation of the limited United States retaliatory capability will contribute to upholding NATO's deterrent strategy of flexible response.