§ Mr. CryerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in theOfficial Report the interviews he gave to the media following the announcement by President Bush on 27 September of nuclear arms reductions; and if he will summarise the main points in regard to the United Kingdom nuclear weapons capability and future plans.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonMy right hon. Friend gave interviews to Sky TV, TV-am, BBC TV and radio, I RN and ITN concerning President Bush's announcement on 27 September. He pointed out that, while the Government are committed to the maintenance of a minimum nuclear deterrent, we are reducing our strike aircraft squadrons from 11 to eight, giving up entirely the Lance and nuclear artillery capability, and withdrawing maritime tactical nuclear weapons from our ships in normal circumstances.
§ Mr. CryerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities exist in the United Kingdom for the dismantling of the delivery vehicles and warheads from United Kingdom short-range battlefield nuclear weapons 453W and United Kingdom nuclear depth charge bombs; and what plans his Department has for the storage and disposal of plutonium recovered from nuclear weapons withdrawn from deployment.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe United Kingdom has the appropriate facilities for any necessary dismantlement of United Kingdom nuclear weapons. It is not in the national interest to give details of the processes involved.