§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the recommendations of the NATO Senior Defence Group on Proliferation for "improvements in alliance military capabilities to address the risks posed by the proliferation of NBC weapons and their delivery means" and to what financial or other commitments would these recommendations bind the UK, and other European members of NATO, and over what period.
Earl Howe:In the context of the Alliance policy framework on proliferation, initiated at the NATO Summit in 1994, the NATO Senior Defence Group on Proliferation (DGP) has recently completed a programme of work to consider the military response to the proliferation of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and their means of delivery. The work identified the capabilities needed and the principles that should guide the Alliance response. While confident that NATO's forces remain robust, the DGP concluded that further action was required in a number of areas, particularly to enhance NATO's ability to perform its new roles and missions.
At their meetings in June, NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers endorsed a comprehensive programme of work recommended by the DGP, the details of which are classified, to take forward the actions and to ensure that the capabilities identified are considered alongside other Alliance priorities in the normal way. No financial or other commitments have been made at this stage, but the DGP work provides an important framework for the further work now envisaged.