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Disarmament

The UK believes that nuclear energy has an important role to play in combating effects of climate change, ensuring energy security and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.  We do not seek to persuade other countries to use nuclear energy but we will support the safe, secure and proliferation-free expansion of nuclear energy in those that do.We are committed fully to the goal of a world free from nuclear weapons and are working actively towards creating the conditions under which that goal can be achieved.

On 3-4 September 2009, we hosted a conference for the five recognized nuclear weapons states, at which amongst other issues, we will discuss confidence building measures including the verification of disarmament and treaty compliance.

How are we promoting nuclear disarmament?

We have led the international debate on nuclear disarmament and worked hard to reinvigorate international commitment to the ultimate goal of a world free from nuclear weapons. We have done more than any other recognised nuclear weapon state to gradually reduce our deterrent.

Since the end of the Cold War we have:

• reduced our stockpile of operationally available warheads to fewer than 160 – a 75% reduction in explosive power
• reduced the readiness of our nuclear forces – only one Trident submarine is on deterrent patrol at any one time with missiles, not targeted at any country and on several days’ notice to fire
• Trident as our only nuclear deterrent platform – we’ve withdrawn the RAF's WE177 freefall nuclear bomb and our maritime tactical nuclear capabilities
• signed (1996) and ratified (1998) the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), including through practical support for the development of the on-site inspection regime.
• made all enrichment and reprocessing facilities in the UK open to international inspection.
  

We are currently:

• conducting groundbreaking work with Norway and the NGO Vertic on the science of verifying warhead reduction
• preparing for the start of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT), as a key priority for making further progress on multilateral disarmament. We are calling for the immediate start of negotiations without pre-conditions in the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva
  
• supporting a study by the International Institute for Strategic Studies into the requirements for a world without nuclear weapons.

The UK’s nuclear deterrent

We decided to retain the UK’s minimum nuclear deterrent in 2006. The White Paper on The Future of the United Kingdom’s Nuclear Deterrent explains the decision.

Why have we done this?

• Large nuclear arsenals remain, some of which are being modernised and expanded.
• Emergence of new states possessing nuclear weapons.
• Risk of state sponsored terrorism.
  
• A deterrent remains a necessary element of our national security, as well as forming part of NATO’s collective security. 

Our decision to retain our submarine-based nuclear deterrent has not changed our commitment to our obligations under the NPT.

We have made clear that when it will be useful to include in any negotiations the small proportion of the world’s nuclear weapons that belong to the UK, we will willingly do so.

Whilst retaining the deterrent at present we are committed to working towards a safer world in which there is no requirement for nuclear weapons, as outlined in these speeches and documents:

• Former Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett's Carnegie speech [PDF, 49KB] in Washington (June 2007).
• Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne's Laying the foundations for multilateral disarmament speech at the Conference on Nuclear Disarmament in Geneva (February 2008). 
• Prime Minister’s speech 17 March 2009.
  
  

We would only use nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances of self-defence and in accordance with our obligations under international law.

We've co-produced a Trident factsheet with the Ministry of Defence .