HC Deb 02 May 1990 vol 171 cc595-6W
Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the source for the figures for Warsaw pact main battle tank production produced in figure 3, page 11, of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990, volume 1.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The figures for Warsaw pact main battle tank production are provided by the defence intelligence staff whose responsibilities include the assessment of Warsaw pact arms production levels.

Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the source of his information on the Warsaw pact nuclear forces at the end of 1989, if figure 5, page 15, of the Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1990, volume 1; and how he assesses the reliability of the data reproduced in figure 5.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

As the Warsaw pact countries do not publish comprehensive information on all the forces covered by the figure in question, it is compiled from a variety of material, ranging from published data to information supplied by the defence intelligence staff. The data are considered to be the most reliable that can be presented within existing constraints.