HL Deb 18 April 1990 vol 518 c95WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are aware that the US Administration (according to Mr. Cheney, Secretary of Defence, speaking at a conference on the Strategic Defence Initiative of the American Defence Preparedness Association on 19th March) is "committed to deploying … strategic defences when they are ready"; whether they agree with him that "strategic defence against ballistic missiles is possible within a very few years"; and whether they anticipate lending their support and approval to the US Administration if it determines to breach the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the deployment of banned systems.

Lord Reay

We are aware of the statement made by Mr. Cheney to which the noble Lord refers. The Soviet Union has for many years deployed strategic defences against ballistic missiles, We are not prepared to speculate at this stage of the research on possible future deployment. President Reagan agreed with the Prime Minister in 1984 that deployment would, in view of treaty obligations, have to be a matter for negotiation.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are aware of the system known as "Brilliant Pebbles"; whether in their view the deployment of this system in space in peacetime is (a) desirable and (b) compatible with existing international agreements on the use of space; and whether the opinion of other users of space has been sought by the US Administration, and if so, what has been the response of the European Space Agency, of which the UK is a participant member.

Lord Reay

The desirability of deploying strategic defences will have to be judged when and if their capability is proven. The question of compatibility with existing international agreements on the use of space would depend on the form any such deployment might take, and would be a matter for the parties to each particular agreement.