Modernisation of nuclear weapons: Lords International Relations Committee to take evidence
The House of Lords International Relations Committee will continue taking evidence for its inquiry ‘the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and nuclear disarmament' on Wednesday 9 January.
Tom Plant, Director of Proliferation and Nuclear Policy at the Royal United Services Institute will be questioned by the Committee on issues including current threat levels and increasing tension, nuclear modernisation plans, disarmament, and UK nuclear policy.
Nuclear weapons are on the international agenda in a way they have not been since the end of the Cold War with rising tensions between nuclear-armed states and the fragmenting of existing non-proliferation and arms control agreements. The Committee is examining the state of global nuclear diplomacy and the United Kingdom's role in it.
Appearing at 11.10am Tom Plant is likely to be asked questions including:
- Is the existence and development of nuclear weapons playing a role in the recent increase in geopolitical tensions?
- What are the current nuclear modernisation plans of the nuclear weapon states?
- How are the deterrence requirements of nuclear weapons states changing, and what impact might this have on modernisation plans, and on progress towards disarmament?
- Are there any changes the UK could make to its nuclear policies, including towards nuclear modernisation, that would make it a more responsible nuclear power?
