To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the adoption of an anti-ballistic missile capability by NATO.

This was addressed recently when alliance Ministers met in Brussels on 28–29 May. The final communique issued at the end of that meeting reports that Ministers discussed the potential risk posed by proliferation of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction and the need to consider complementary approaches to dealing with the problem, including export controls and missile defences. Ministers welcomed a briefing by the United States concerning its concept for global protection against limited ballistic missile strikes.