§ Lord Jenkins of Putneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consider that the refusal of nuclear weapon states to reduce their reliance on such weapons as Trident encourages non nuclear states to seek nuclear capability, and if so whether they will reconsider their policy on nuclear weapons.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Henley):NATO has reduced its reliance on nuclear weapons since the end of the Cold War, and this is reflected in the reduced size of the UK's nuclear deterrent. The real pressures for nuclear proliferation are likely to be generated by regional tensions; the dangers of such proliferation affect everyone, and can be best avoided through the indefinite extension of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.