§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Leigh (Mr. Chisholm) of 14 December,Official Report, column 909, if the planned reduction in the United Kingdom's deployed nuclear explosive power involves an increase or a decrease in the number of deployed nuclear warheads.
§ Mr. SoamesIt is not our current practice to release details of nuclear weapons numbers.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what are the implications of the comprehensive test ban treaty for the future development of a new nuclear warhead by the United Kingdom;
736W(2) what are the implications of the comprehensive test ban treaty for the adaptation of existing warheads for any future new nuclear weapon by the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. SoamesA comprehensive test ban treaty, effectively verified and commanding universal adherence, would have significant non-proliferation benefits. It would also place severe constraints on the five nuclear weapons states. We plan to develop further a range of techniques to enable us to maintain our nuclear capability in the absence of testing.