HC Deb 08 December 1989 vol 163 cc431-2W
Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the United Kingdom Government's current approach to the seismic verification of treaties constraining nuclear testing;

(2) if he will outline the important verification difficulties that remain to be resolved before an agreement can be reached by the United Kingdom Government on a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor) on 27 June 1988 at column61, and to the working paper on seismic monitoring tabled in the conference on disarmament in 1985 (CD 610), a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many scientific personnel are currently employed by

Intake Outflow
January to September January to September
1988 1989 1988 1989
All Services
Total 26,154 27,155 28,578 31,672
Male officers 1,949 1,907 2,486 2,638
Service men 22,229 22,451 23,976 26,759
Female officers 264 286 266 260
Service women 1,712 2,511 1,850 2,015
Royal Navy
Total 4,082 4,082 4,513 4,779
Male officers 424 445 507 516
Service men 3,230 3,065 3,595 3,760
Female officers 22 36 36 39
Service women 406 536 375 464
Royal Marines
Total 755 716 886 819
Male officers 40 40 40 41
Service men 735 676 846 778
Army
Total 16,496 17,419 17,542 18,808
Male officers 936 969 1,131 1,251
Service men 14,669 15,215 15,382 16,594
Female officers 96 124 117 127
Service women 795 1,111 912 836
Royal Air Force
Total 4,801 4,938 5,637 7,266
Male officers 549 453 808 830
Service men 3,595 3,495 4,153 5,627
Female officers 146 126 113 94
Service women 511 864 563 715

the United Kingdom Government or by Government-sponsored enterprises working on verification of a global comprehensive test ban treaty.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The Ministry of Defence's research establishment at Blacknest, near Aldermaston, employs 27 scientific personnel, including a number of contract staff, who undertake seismological research which could be used in establishing the requirements of a verification regime for further constraints on nuclear testing.

Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the United Kingdom Government's annual expenditure, for each year since May 1979, on verification of a global comprehensive test ban treaty.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Information on the costs of seismological research undertaken at Blacknest, near Aldermaston, dating back to 1979 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 19 October 1989 at column251 concerning the costs of this work for the financial year 1988–89.