§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries are currently members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group; what 171W consideration has been given to expanding its membership; and what consideration has been given to establishing a secretariat for the group.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe following countries are currently members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG):
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Czech and Slovak Republic
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
At its plenary meeting in Warsaw in March this year, the NSG agreed to set up a working group on institutional questions whose terms of reference included a review of the criteria for membership of the NSG. The findings of the working group are likely to be discussed at the next NSG plenary next March. There are no plans at present to establish a secretariat.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of Stale for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the involvement of the United Kingdom in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe United Kingdom plays an active part in the workings of the Nuclear Suppliers Groups (NSG). Representatives from the United Kingdom attended the last plenary meeting in Warsaw in March and sit on all NSG working groups.
§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Nuclear Suppliers Group working party studying the control of nuclear dual-use items has completed its work; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Mr. Ainsworth) on 15 July 1992 at column735.