§ 17. Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his assessment is of the threat to the United Kingdom from attack by weapons of mass destruction. [50956]
§ Mr. HoonAs of today we assess that there is currently no direct threat of attack by weapons of mass destruction to the United Kingdom. We do, however, continue to monitor developments very closely, particularly as they might affect British forces deployed in other parts of the world.
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§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the type of weapons of mass destruction that are most likely to be used by countries he has defined as of concern to the UK; and if he will make a statement. [52285]
§ Mr. HoonWe monitor continuously the capabilities of countries which possess, or are seeking to acquire, weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver or use them. Currently we assess that none of the countries we are monitoring has the specific intention to use them against the United Kingdom. Should a direct threat materialise, its exact nature will depend on the capabilities of the country concerned and the political and military context in which it arises.
Our assessment of the weapons of mass destruction programmes of a number of countries was included in our "Supplementary Memorandum to the House of Commons Defence Committee: The Ballistic Missile Threat" of 18 March 2002.