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<p>Today's security climate is challenging, with the threats faced by the United Kingdom
increasing in scale, diversity and complexity. However, Her Majesty's Government does
not believe that the risk of nuclear war is greater today than it was during the Cold
War.</p><p>While the operation of an independent, minimum, credible nuclear deterrent
continues to be necessary to protect the United Kingdom from the most extreme threats
to our national security and way of life, the UK has taken a number of unilateral
actions that build confidence and reduce international tensions. Our negative security
assurances, as set out in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, are designed
to give Non-Nuclear Weapons States in compliance with the nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty confidence that nuclear weapons will not be used against them. Further, since
1994, UK Trident missiles have not been targeted at any State; our Vanguard class
submarines are at several days' notice to fire; only the Prime Minister has the authority
to launch nuclear weapons maintaining political control at all times; and the UK has
been transparent about its nuclear capability, including missile and warhead numbers.</p><p>The
Government is committed to the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons and
continues to work internationally, within the framework of the nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty, towards achieving the conditions in which all nuclear weapons possessor states
are willing to relinquish their nuclear weapons.</p>
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