Written question asked by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 2 July 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 4 July 2007. It was answered by Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 July 2007 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Nuclear Weapons: Transport

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will (a) instigate a moratorium on transporting nuclear warheads to Scotland by road during the current critical security alert and (b) ensure that any warheads currently ready for delivery are disassembled and remain at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Answer: The safety and security of the UK nuclear weapons is paramount. Any transportation is kept to a minimum consistent with operational requirements and all such movements are kept under constant review. This includes an advance evaluation of all relevant factors, including the risks and threats prevalent at the time, and involves close liaison with all appropriate stakeholders, including the civil authorities. Each movement is subject to procedures that are robust and sensitive to changing circumstances and priorities, commensurate with national defence and security requirements.

Secondary information