HC Deb 17 March 1989 vol 149 c381W
Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the United Kingdom first entered into negotiations towards nuclear disarmament under the terms of article VI of the 1970 non-proliferation treaty.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Article VI of the nonproliferation treaty requires the parties to it to pursue negotiations on effective measures connected with nuclear disarmament. Since the United States and the Soviet Union possess between them the overwhelming preponderance of nuclear weapons it is universally recognised that the primary responsibility for negotiations falls to them. The United States and the Soviet Union are currently engaged in such negotiations which aim at 50 per cent. reductions in their strategic nuclear weapons.