HC Deb 19 July 2001 vol 372 cc331-2W
Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will undertake a review of the(a) manufacture of nuclear warheads at Aldermaston/Burghfield by AWE plc, (b) deployment of Trident 2 as the UK's nuclear deterrent, (c) use of Faslane as the Trident submarine base and (d) commitment to maintain a nuclear deterrent. [4293]

Mr. Ingram

Following a fundamental re-examination of the issues, the 1998 Strategic Defence Review concluded that a minimum nuclear deterrent would remain a necessary element of our security. It determined that our deterrence requirements would be met by one Trident ballistic missile submarine on patrol at all times carrying 48 nuclear warheads, and a national stockpile of less than 200 operationally available warheads. I see no reason to conduct a further review.

Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his compliance with paragraph 105F of the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons. [4294]

Mr. Hoon

Paragraph 105F of the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion on the legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons, given in July 1996, states thatThere exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control". The UK had already signed and ratified the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1968. Article VI of the NPT commits all Parties to the Treaty to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control".

At the 2000 NPT Review Conference the United Kingdom, together with other participating countries, gave an unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament to which all states are committed under Article VI of the NPT. At the Review Conference the UK, together with other participating countries, also agreed to the establishment in the Conference of Disarmament of an appropriate body with a mandate to deal with nuclear disarmament.