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UK denies developing new nuclear warheads

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Nov 4, IRNA
UK-Nuclear Arms
The British government has denied that it has already started to develop a new generation of nuclear warheads despite trebling the capital spending at the country's Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) since 2006.

"No, there is no question of that," Defence Secretary John Hutton said in response to an oral question in parliament on Monday asking whether the "phenomenal amounts of money" being spent at AWE in Aldermaston, western England, is being used for new nuclear weapons.

"Decisions will be made in the House (of Commons) at the right time about all those matters," Hutton said when reminded that the issue had not yet been debated.

Last year, the British government gained parliamentary approval to controversially replace the country's submarine-based Trident nuclear missile system, but said a decision on to upgrade the warheads would not be made until after the next general election.

In a separate written parliamentary reply, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support Quentin Davies revealed that capital expenditure at AWE increased from Pnds 171 million (Dlrs 350 m) in 2005-06, to Pnds 302 m in 2006-07 and to Pnds 500 m in 2007-08.

Back in July, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) reported that it had obtained secret Ministry of Defence papers under the Freedom of Information Act that confirmed plans to replace the nuclear warheads.

"This document destroys any credibility in the government's claim that it has not yet made a decision on new nuclear warheads," said CND chair Kate Hudson.

In April, it was also revealed that the number of staff employed at Britain's nuclear arms plants in Aldermaston and nearby Burghfield has increased by almost one-third in the past four years.

The decisions by Britain to renew its nuclear deterrent has led to accusations that the government is beaching its commitment to disarm under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

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