§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will be sending a representative to the international citizens congress for a nuclear test ban in Alma-Mata and Semipalatinsk, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, in May.
§ Mr. WaldegraveNo.
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has received in the current year concerning the continuing commitment of Her Majesty's Government to test nuclear weapons.
§ Mr. WaldegraveWe have received a number of letters and appeals from various organisations and individual members of the public.
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§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what stage negotiations over the convening of meetings of state parties to the partial test ban treaty in preparation for the meeting from 8 to 19 January 1991 in Geneva have now reached; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveParties to the partial test ban treaty have agreed that a preliminary meeting for the organisation of the conference will be held in New York from 29 May to 8 June 1990. Consultations on the details of the meeting are continuing.
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to make it his policy to support the inclusion of talks concerning the cessation of nuclear testing at the conference on disarmament in Geneva.
§ Mr. WaldegraveConsultations are under way at the conference on disarmament about possible discussions on the subject of nuclear testing. But we have made it dear that for the foreseeable future there will be a continuing requirement to conduct such tests.