§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have about the United States Administration's Defense Countermeasures Initiative, under which the military is to combat "the spread of advanced military technology and weapons of mass destruction" (Aviation Week and Space Technology, December 13–20 1993); whether they, and/or other NATO allies have discussed, or are participating in, this initiative; what are its purposes and what anti-proliferation activities are proposed; what is its cost; and what are its implications for the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Viscount Cranborne)The United States Administration announced last year its intention to make countering proliferation a major policy priority. This has been discussed within NATO, and the declaration of the recent summit reported the Alliance's decision to intensify and expand both political and defence efforts against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery means. The political efforts include the aim of indefinite and unconditional extension of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.