HC Deb 29 November 1988 vol 142 c224W
71. Mr. Harry Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail the broad balance of(a) conventional and (b) nuclear forces between North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Warsaw pact; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Comparisons of the conventional and nuclear forces of NATO and the Warsaw pact are published annually in the statement on the Defence Estimates. In addition, NATO has recently published an assessment of the strengths of the conventional forces in Europe belonging to the countries of NATO and the Warsaw pact. A copy of the assessment, entitled "Conventional Forces in Europe: the Facts", will be placed in the Library of the House. Current assessments of force levels show that the Warsaw pact enjoys major superiorities in key conventional weapons in Europe. Although there is broad parity at the strategic level of nuclear forces, the Warsaw pact possesses significant advantages in the shorter range nuclear categories.