Nuclear Testing (Hansard, 13 July 1993)

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek assistance from the United States in the development of alternative testing technologies to those of underground nuclear testing.

§ Mr. Aitken
Under the United States-United Kingdom 1958 agreement, we co-operate closely with the United States on a wide range of nuclear matters, including alternative testing technologies.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his assessment of the non-proliferation benefits arising from President Clinton's extension of the nuclear testing moratorium.

§ Mr. Aitken
President Clinton has made clear that the extension of the United States moratorium on nuclear testing is intended to promote a comprehensive test ban. Our view is that a comprehensive test ban would not in itself prevent a proliferator from producing and deploying a crude nuclear weapon and from obtaining the materials with which to do this. But associated measures for verification and inspection, if sufficiently rigorous and applicable to the states concerned, might constrain potential proliferators.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the development of a new sub-strategic nuclear warhead can be completed(a) without further nuclear tests and (b) without further improvements to alternative and non-nuclear methods of developing nuclear weapons.
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§ Mr. Aitken
Yes.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if it is his policy not to conduct any further nuclear tests unless another state does so first;
(2) what is his policy on seeking an alternative site at which to conduct United Kingdom nuclear tests;
(3) what is his policy on conducting any further nuclear tests prior to the non-proliferation treaty extension conference in 1995.

§ Mr. Aitken
We have no plans to conduct nuclear tests anywhere other than at the Nevada test site. There is, of course, no possibility of our conducting further tests at Nevada during the United States moratorium on nuclear testing, which President Clinton has recently extended until October 1994, unless another state tests meanwhile. We would need to consider in the light of the circumstances at the time whether to avail ourselves of any further opportunities to conduct nuclear tests.