§ Baroness Scotland of Asthalasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish information about the UK's chemical defence programme. [HL1827]
§ Lord GilbertThe UK's chemical defence programme is designed to protect against the use of chemical weapons. Such a programme is permitted by the Chemical Weapons Convention, with which the United Kingdom is fully compliant. Under the terms of the convention, we are required to provide information annually to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. In accordance with the Government's commitment to openness, a copy of the summary, outlining the UK's chemical defence programme for 1998, which has been provided to the organisation, has been placed in the Library of the House.