HC Deb 08 July 1992 vol 211 c182W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to make available to interested United Kingdom citizens and organisations, aerial photographs of such United Kingdom defence facilities as are permitted to the Russian military forces under the Helsinki "Open Skies" treaty of 24 March.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The purpose of the "Open Skies" treaty is to establish a reciprocal confidence-building regime which will help us build trust with other parties to the treaty. Under the treaty, information gathered during "Open Skies" flights may be used only for treaty-related purposes. We would not want to see this provision waived, not least because aerial photographs from "Open Skies" flights could be of use to terrorist organisations.