§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution he is making to President Bush's deliberations over the sort of missile defence system the United States will deploy. [3706]
§ Mr. HoonWe continue to discuss missile defence and related issues regularly with the United States. We have consistently made it clear that we share US concerns about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, and that we will continue to work together to tackle the potential threat with a comprehensive strategy. And we welcome the fact that they are consulting with Allies, Russia and others on this important issue. But it is ultimately a matter for the US Administration to decide what sort of missile defences they will seek to deploy. They have not yet done so, and nor have they made any request for the use of facilities in the UK for missile defence purposes.