§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is the case that, as reported in Jane's Defence Weekly (4th November 1989), they are discussing, or have discussed, or propose to discuss, with the United States the possibility of co-operation on nuclear warhead production (apart from the "fabricated core") and what are the implications of such a development for the status of the United Kingdom as an independent nuclear weapons state.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (The Earl of Arran)Discussions routinely take place with the US on a range of nuclear matters under the 1958 Agreement for the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes. All nuclear weapons produced and owned by the UK, although normally assigned to NATO in support of collective deterrence, remain at all times under the independent control of the British Government.