Nuclear Weapons (Hansard, 7 June 1989)

§ Mr. Harry Barnes
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals exist for the multiple launch rocket system to be capable of firing short-range nuclear weapons.

§ Mr. Grocott
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals exist for the multiple launch rocket system to be capable of firing short-range nuclear weapons.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 20 February 1989, at column 445.

§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, Central and Royton (Mr. Lamond) of 7 March,Official Report, column 738, what distinction he makes between (i) a warhead and (ii) a system when comparing the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and Soviet reductions in nuclear weaponry.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
A warhead is that part of a missile, projectile, torpedo, rocket or other munition which contains either the nuclear, thermo-nuclear or high explosive device, the chemical or biological agents, or the inert materials intended to inflict damage. A weapon system is the means of delivering the warheads.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many nuclear missiles have been removed from the United Kingdom since the United States/Soviet intermediate nuclear forces treaty; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
By the end of 1988, 16 operational missiles had been removed.

§ Mr. Redmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation general political guidelines for use of nuclear weapons; and how many times they have been followed.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The general political guidelines were agreed by Ministers at the Gleneagles NPG meeting in October 1986. The purpose of the document is to provide political guidelines for the employment of nuclear weapons in defence of NATO within the framework of NATO's strategy of flexible response and forward defence.154W These guidelines are the basis for both peacetime planning by political and military authorities and a guide for carrying out their respective responsibilities in times of tension or conflict. They are consulted regularly.