§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what monitoring of the aquatic, aerial and land environment surrounding bases;(a) storing nuclear warheads, (b) manufacturing nuclear warheads and (c) handling nuclear-powered ships or submarines is conducted by his Department or on behalf of his Department; at what annual cost; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SainsburyEnvironmental monitoring is performed at all MOD sites as appropriate. It has, however, been the policy of successive Governments for reasons of national security neither to confirm nor to deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any place. The costs of the monitoring operations could be provided only at disproportionate cost.