§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the United Kingdom Government intend to make to the prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
§ Mr. David DavisThe nuclear non-proliferation treaty is the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. It has established an international norm against the spread of nuclear weapons and provides for effective International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards to verify compliance. We are working hard to secure the treaty's indefinite and unconditional extension at he review and extension conference in April and May.
§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the achievement of an international agreement to eliminate all nuclear weapons is an objective of the United Kingdom Government.
§ Mr. David DavisWe are committed to article VI of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, whereby we undertake to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.
197WFor our part, we have made a number of important changes to our nuclear forces: we have announced the elimination of our land and surface maritime tactical nuclear capability; we have substantially reduced the number of nuclear bombs carried by our aircraft, and we have decided that Trident will carry fewer warheads than originally envisaged. The overall effect of these changes will be that, when Trident is fully in service, the explosive power of the United Kingdom's entire operational nuclear inventory will have been reduced by more than 25 per cent. since 1990.