US National Missile Defence System: UK Facilities

HL Deb 29 November 2000 vol 619 cc144-5WA

Lord Moynihan

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether upgrades to radar stations in Yorkshire would be necessary for a United States National Missile Defence System; and, if so, what is their policy towards such upgrades. [HL4735]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

I refer the noble Lord to the memorandum on these questions submitted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee's recent inquiry into Weapons of Mass Destruction. This can be found in the appendices to the committee's report, which was published on 2 August and is also available on the Internet (www.parliament.uk/commons/selcom/fachome.htm).

As the Government have repeatedly made clear, any US request to use facilities in the UK for NMD purposes would be considered carefully in the light of the circumstances in which is was made.