§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether in their view the development of lasers, particle beams, pellets and electromagnetic weapons in orbit would be compatible with the terms of the Outer Space Treaty, to which this country is a signatory.
§ The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Lord Trefgarne)Under Article IV of the Outer Space Treaty, states parties to the treaty undertake not to place in orbit around the earth any object carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapon of mass destruction. Whether placing in orbit the objects or systems to which the noble Lord refers would he compatible with the terms of the treaty depends upon whether they would fall into either of these proscribed categories.