§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of Sate for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what studies have been made 9W of the likely effects on progress towards a chemical warfare treaty of the French Government's proposal to develop a binary chemical weapon; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RentonI refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Dr. Strang) on 9 December 1986. There has been encouraging progress in the negotiations towards a global ban on chemical weapons under British Chairmanship of the ad hoc committee in 1986.
§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of Sate for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government last tabled proposals on verification for a chemical warfare treaty; what progress has been made on those proposals; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RentonA British paper on the crucial verification issue of challenge inspection was tabled when I visited the conference on disarmament on 15 July 1986. Our proposals have been welcomed by many delegations and are currently under discussion in the negotiations in Geneva.