HL Deb 28 June 1995 vol 565 c54WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What tests they intend should be covered by the "comprehensive test ban treaty" which is referred to in the document by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament; whether they intend that the desk top tests be included in a ban; and whether they are contributing any views to the discussions now being carried on within the US administration about the US Department of Defense's wish that a Test Ban not be "comprehensive", but rather a "threshold test ban".

Lord Henley

Her Majesty's Government continue to work actively for the conclusion of the negotiations for a Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty by the end of 1996. We have made clear that our aim is to establish a comprehensive ban on nuclear-weapon test explosions in the atmosphere, underwater and underground. At the same time we consider that the treaty should not prohibit the UK, in common with the other nuclear-weapon states, from fulfilling its responsibilities to maintain the safety and reliability of its nuclear weapons. The question of the scope of the treaty is yet to be resolved. We are in touch with the US and other member states of the conference on disarmament on a wide range of issues relevant to the CTBT negotiations.

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