To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards negotiations on short-range nuclear forces after the conclusion of a global ban on chemical weapons.

Although a global ban on chemical weapons is an arms control goal of the Alliance, NATO's policy on negotiations on short-range nuclear missiles, as expressed in the comprehensive concept, is not linked to the conclusion of such a ban.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards negotiations on short-range nuclear forces after a conventional forces in Europe agreement has been concluded and reductions are under way.

Our policy is as set out in the comprehensive concept adopted by NATO Heads of State and Government at their summit in May, namely that, once the implementation of an agreement on conventional arms is under way,

"the United States, in consultation with the Allies concerned, is prepared to enter into negotiations to achieve a partial reduction of American and Soviet land-based nuclear missiles of shorter range to equal and verifiable levels."

The comprehensive concept also makes it clear that negotiated reductions should not take place until a CFE agreement has been implemented.