We’re indebted to an alert reader (as previously noted, we default to not naming people who send us tip-offs and the like so as not to get them in trouble at work or anything, but will happily credit you if you ask) for an excellent piece of initiative today.

“16 April 2013 Dear Ministry of Defence, A couple of weeks ago the PM told us we were at threat of nuclear attack by North Korea. Living in Glasgow, what is the procedure if they do launch, where do I go? How do the MOD protect us – can they shoot the missile down? How will I know we are under attack? If they do launch, Trident isn’t much use, is it? Can Trident shoot down a missile? The South Koreans have Patriot missiles, do we? Are they any good? What are you doing to protect Glasgow? Yours faithfully and very concerned,

[alert WingsLand reader]”

You can read the MoD’s reply below. Our emphases, as always.

“24 April 2013 Dear [alert WingsLand reader], Thank you for your email of 16 April 2013 to the Secretary of State for Defence. Your email has been passed on to me in the Ministry of Defence’s Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) Policy branch for reply as the points you raise in your letter fall under my area of responsibility. You raise the issue of the recent article on the nuclear deterrent by the Prime Minister in the Daily Telegraph. I refer you to the comments made in the House of Commons on 23 April by the Foreign Secretary the Rt. Hon. William Hague: “The Prime Minister said that North Korea claimed that it had missiles that could hit the whole of the United States, and if that was the case, of course, it could also hit the UK. I mentioned earlier that it has paraded, but not yet tested, a 12,000 km-range missile. Looking decades ahead, as we do with these decisions, we have to be aware of the great variety of potential threats to the UK. It is vital, therefore, that we retain the ultimate deterrent in this country.” It remains the case that currently no state has both the intent to threaten our vital interests and the capability to do so with nuclear weapons. The Trident ballistic missiles which are carried on our Vanguard class submarines are not used for the purposes of missile defence. In addition to the points made above as regards the nuclear threat, there is no immediate significant threat to the UK from ballistic missiles. However, the UK supports the development of a NATO ballistic missile defence capability, which will be made up of a range of radars and interceptor missiles contributed by individual NATO member states. This will include the capability to provide limited defence to all NATO European populations and territory. I hope this letter has been helpful in explaining Government policy. Yours sincerely,

Dr. M. Smith”

So there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth – there is currently NO threat to the UK from nuclear missiles from any nation on Earth, and should one arise decades into the future, Trident would offer no protection against them. Furthermore, the only thing that will offer any degree of actual defence against nuclear attack will be a non-nuclear missile programme, which will be available to all NATO members, whether nuclear or otherwise.

(Which is fortunate, as apparently the procedure if someone does launch an atomic attack against Glasgow at some point in the far future, when most of the inhabitants will already be dead of old age anyway, is classified.)

That seems pretty clear from where we’re sitting. Somebody tell Johann, eh?