Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the military and strategic circumstances in which all British nuclear weapons could be negotiated away.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonPeace 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.