§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Prime Minister if she will explain the basis on which she stated at a press conference following her visit to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation on 17 February that Her Majesty's Government are modernising Polaris with Trident in accordance with the Montebello resolutions, as stated on page 7 of the Central Office of Information transcript; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government's decision in 1980 to replace Polaris with Trident was taken in order to maintain the effectiveness and credibility of Britain's independent strategic nuclear deterrent well into the next century. The decision is entirely consistent with NATO's commitment, articulated at Montebello in 1983 and also most recently this month at the NATO summit, to maintain effective and up-to-date nuclear forces.