*27 Oct 2008 : Column 639W*
Nuclear Weapons
*Nick Harvey:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether US
personnel will be asked to participate in his Department's work on the
Warhead Pre-Concept Working Group; [228902]
(2) whether the Warhead Pre-Concept Working Group has considered options
for /(a)/ agent defeat and /(b)/ other warhead modifications, as part of
its work; [228903]
(3) whether work emerging from the /(a)/ theoretical enhanced radiation
and /(b)/ residual enhanced radiation weapon warhead concept have been
examined as part of the work of the Warhead Pre-Concept Working Group;
and whether personnel at AWE Aldermaston have been briefed on these or
other advanced nuclear weapons concepts by their US counterparts in the
last three years. [228904]
*Mr. Hutton:* I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave
him on 28 November 2007, /Official Report, column/ 453W from which he
will be aware that research is currently being undertaken in support of
the detailed review described in paragraph 7-4 of the December 2006
White Paper: The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent (Cmd
6994). This review, which was previously overseen by the Warhead
Pre-Concept Working Group (WPCWG) is now being coordinated by the Atomic
Weapons Establishment within their systems engineering management
structure under the direction of the Ministry of Defence. It is
examining both the optimum life of the UK's existing nuclear warhead
stockpile and the range of replacement options that might be available
to inform decisions on whether and how we may need to refurbish or
replace the existing
*27 Oct 2008 : Column 640W*
warhead likely to be necessary in the next Parliament. Some of the work
included in this review is being undertaken in co-operation with the US
and with the assistance of US personnel under the 1958 UK-US Agreement
for Co-operation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes.
I am withholding further details of this ongoing review and related
discussions held with the US under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement in
the interests of national security.
latest tweet from NIS:
Out campaigning with Berks Greenpeace - street poll on new nuclear weapons. Around 90 per cent against!
