---

Defence in the World

I have not seen what was said on that occasion. I do not like to say whether I agree or disagree with something that I have not read. I hope that my hon. Friend will understand that; but certainly, what he identifies—the potential for nuclear or fissile materials falling into the hands of terrorists, for instance—is a very important subject and a very real danger. Through our non-proliferation activities and in many other ways, we constantly try to ensure—indeed, we have assisted the Russians in trying to ensure—that the dismantling of their warheads, many of which have been dismantled, and the storage of that material, and so on, is as secure as it can be. I cannot give any guarantee, as my hon. Friend knows, about other countries. I can assure him that we do our best in that respect. On the safety of, for instance, nuclear warheads, I can assure my hon. Friend that, although we have not taken decisions about the replacement of the present Trident system, we have said—I have said so publicly in the House and outside—that we do, and will, spend money to maintain the existing system and, in particular, in a state of safety. An obligation of maintaining the nuclear deterrent in the first place is that we maintain it as both effective and safe.