§ Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what prior warning was given to local authorities, both district and region, in the Clydeside area of the passage of nuclear convoys during the three weeks beginning Monday 20 March.
(2) what is his policy for alerting local authorities to the imminent passage of nuclear naval convoys through their area.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonIt has been the long-standing practice of successive Governments neither to confirm nor to deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any particular location, and it is not our policy to inform local authorities of nuclear weapon movements. We do, however, inform local police forces, who are responsible for road traffic control.