I can certainly give the hon. Gentleman the latter assurance that he seeks. We are continually trying to improve the protection of our own forces against the massive and very serious chemical weapon threat that they face from the Soviet Union.

The Government's policy remains unchanged from what was set out by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 10 January 1985: The facts are that Britain abandoned its chemical warfare capability in the late 1950s. There has been no change in Government policy since then, nor is any change now proposed."—[Official Report, 10 January 1985; Vol. 70, c. 901.]