§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in view of the opinion of the United States Secretary of Defense, Mr. Cheney, that "Today technology … is not a bar to deploying strategic defences", they intend to take part in "the real debate about how defences fit into our strategy for nuclear stability, deterrence, and arms reductions" for which he says the time has now come, and if so whether it remains their view that the "strict" interpretation of the anti-ballistic missile treaty is in Britain's interests and in particular necessary for the continuing viability of a British minimum deterrent nuclear force.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Brabazon of Tara)We hold regular consultations with the Americans on a wide range of security issues, including matters relating to the strategic defence initiative. As regards the anti-ballistic missile treaty, the British interest is best served if the parties to the treaty observe their obligations under it. Interpretation of what those obligations are is a matter for the parties. The strategic defence initiative is a research programme designed to investigate the feasibility of strategic defences: it is not possible to speculate at this stage on the possible implications for British defence policy of any deployment of strategic defences beyond the levels permitted by the ABM Treaty.