§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent changes have been made to the scope of the missile technology control regime; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggIn the light of concerns about the proliferation of biological and chemical weapons, members of the missile technology control regime agreed, in July 1992, to extend the scope of the regime to cover delivery systems for such weapons, as well as those for nuclear weapons. Technical discussions on details of the changes have now been concluded and members formally adopted the revised guidelines on 7 January 1993. These changes will further strengthen international efforts to combat missile proliferation and to frustrate attempts to deploy weapons of mass destruction. We shall continue to urge all states who are not members of the regime to adopt similar responsible policies on missile exports. A copy of the new guidelines will be placed in the Library of the House.