HC Deb 05 June 1990 vol 173 c465W
Mr. O'Neill

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the international and strategic circumstances in which all British nuclear weapons could be negotiated away.

Mr. Waldegrave

Peace has been maintained in Europe as a result of the possession of both nuclear and conventional forces by the United Kingdom and our NATO allies. There can be no question of negotiating away our nuclear deterrent while other states possess or are seeking to acquire a nuclear weapon capability that could pose a threat to this country.