Nuclear Weapons (Hansard, 2 November 1992)

§ Dr. Reid
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 23 October,Official Report, column 403, how his Department will determine whether or not another country has tested nuclear weapons after 1996; and for what reasons the United Kingdom will resume nuclear testing if another country tests nuclear weapons after 1996.

§ Mr. Aitken
Since the issue arises from United States legislation regarding testing in the United States, it will be for the United States authorities to make any determination concerning testing by another country after 1996. Our position on a resumption of testing in that event would be decided in the light of circumstances at the time.

§ Dr. Reid
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 23 October,Official Report, column 403, on alternative technologies what is his Department's assessment as to the ability of alternative technologies to ensure the safety of the United Kingdom's nuclear warheads after 1996.

§ Mr. Aitken
We believe that underground testing remains the best means of ensuring the safety and credibility of nuclear weapons. Alternative techniques are not at present an adequate substitute. It is too early to assess how effective they may have become after 1996.

§ Dr. Reid
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to his answer of 23 October,Official Report, column 403, if he will provide details of the numbers and types of alternative technologies for proving nuclear warheads that his Department has been involved in working on; and what additional financial resources will be provided for such work in the future;
(2) what alternatives to nuclear testing exist as means of developing new warheads; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Aitken
There is a range of technologies which might assist the proving and developing of nuclear warheads in the absence of nuclear tests. These include computer modelling and various forms of simulation using lasers and hydrodynamics. We already make extensive use of them, to keep nuclear testing to a minimum; the question of resources for their development will be considered as part of the normal process of determining the forward defence programme.

§ Dr. Reid
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the United Kingdom is prohibited from conducting an underground nuclear test in Nevada before July 1993 under the terms of the United States energy appropriation legislation.

§ Mr. Aitken
The legislation makes no provision for a United Kingdom nuclear test before 1 July 1993 and it is not practicable for the United Kingdom to test while the United States Government are themselves unable to do so.