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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the joint working groups at present operating as part of (a) the 1958 mutual defence agreement for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for defence purposes, (b) the Polaris sales agreement and (c) the Trident sales agreement. [12372] Mr. Arbuthnot: Joint working groups continue to be the focal points for technical exchanges under the 1958 mutual defence agreement. Subject areas are as follows: Radiation simulation and kinetic effects technology Energetic materials Test monitoring Nuclear materials Warhead electrical components and technologies Non-nuclear materials Nuclear counter-terrorism technology Facilities Nuclear weapons engineering Nuclear warhead physics Computational technology Aircraft, missile and space system hardening Laboratory plasma physics Manufacturing practices Nuclear weapon accident response technology Nuclear weapon code development Nuclear weapon environment and damage effects. Separate arrangements exist for exchanges under the Polaris sales agreement, as amended for Trident. The working groups concerned are the Trident working party group, the joint steering tasks group, the Trident joint re-entry systems working group and the joint systems performance and assessment group. I am withholding information related to the detailed activities of these groups under exemption 1 of the code of practice on access to Government information relating to defence, security and international affairs.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

12372; 289 c28-9W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

International cooperation Nuclear weapons Policy Trident Polaris