HC Deb 22 November 1994 vol 250 cc460-1
10. Mr. Fabricant

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the threat from bacteriological and chemical warfare weapons held in the former Soviet Union.

Mr. Freeman

Her Majesty's Government see no current threat from Russia or other former Soviet Republics. However, Russia inherited offensive chemical and biological warfare capabilities from the former Soviet Union. Her Majesty's Government place a high priority on confirming the elimination of the former Soviet capabilities; we are pursuing this objective through discussions with Russia and in multilateral arms control negotiations.

Mr. Fabricant

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for his full reply and for alluding to the biopreparat programme which was in place during the days of the former Soviet Union. What action will he take in practical terms to stop the proliferation of not only nuclear weapons, which was mentioned earlier, but germ warfare and biological weapons?

Mr. Freeman

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his question and for his minor tutorial. The United Kingdom is making a practical contribution on nuclear weapons. The distinguished British company, GKN, is manufacturing transport containers for moving warheads that are being removed from current Russian use. We have agreed to look at ways in which we can co-operate with Russia to end production facilities for biological weapons. On chemical weapons, I note that the United States is willing to discuss with Russia ways in which its chemical warfare munitions plants can be decommissioned.

Mr. Gapes

In view of the danger of proliferation of chemical weapons, will the Minister announce today that the Government will immediately ratify the chemical weapons convention so as to encourage other countries to go down the same road?

Mr. Freeman

We have signed the convention and my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is responsible for bringing forward legislation. I can tell the hon. Gentleman and the House that he intends to do so as soon as possible.

Mr. Key

Will my right hon. Friend confirm that the threat would be infinitely greater and the assessment quite impossible without the outstanding work done at the chemical and biological defence establishment at Porton Down in my constituency?

Mr. Freeman

I very much agree with my hon. Friend. He is right to pay tribute to the excellent work done by Porton Down and long may it remain so.

Back to