§ Lord Jenkins of Putneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Viscount Cranborne's statement on 25th May [H.L. Deb. col. 166] may be taken as a policy announcement that they will not undertake further nuclear disarmament unless, and until, a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty is signed and that after such a treaty has been agreed they will abandon their policy on nuclear deterrence.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Viscount Cranborne)The Government have long emphasised that, for as long as our security depends on the possession of nuclear weapons, we are committed to maintaining a minimum nuclear deterrent. We would not be constrained by the absence of a comprehensive test ban from making further reductions in our nuclear forces if we at any stage judged that right and prudent; nor would the agreement of such a test ban require or justify the abandonment of our deterrent.