Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the studies undertaken by research centres responsible to his Department on the feasibility of use of the Seawolf anti-air and anti-missile weapon and the Star Streak laser-guided missile for a limited anti-ballistic missile defence for British nuclear-capable bases.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Government have no plans to develop a ballistic missile defence system for deployment in the United Kingdom or more widely in Europe. Research carried out as part of the United States funded European architecture study has indicated that missile systems such as those referred to in the hon. Member's question would require substantial further development before they could be used in a ballistic missile defence system.