§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the sites(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in British territories abroad where chemical weapons have been manufactured or stored since 1966; and if he will places in the Library a copy of the declarations made to date under the chemical weapons convention; [33066]
(2) if he will list the sites on which chemical weapons have been manufactured or stored since 1966 to which Crown immunity applies. [33079]
§ Mr. SoamesThe United Kingdom relinquished its offensive chemical weapons capability in the mid-1950s and no chemical weapons have been manufactured since that time in either the United Kingdom or dependent territories. Stocks of chemical weapons held were destroyed and storage sites decommissioned prior to 1966. 359W Any items of chemical ordnance subsequently discovered at sites in the UK where such weapons were formerly stored or trailed, are made safe and transferred to PLSD Porton Down for temporary storage prior to destruction. Porton Down is the only site at which these items have been stored since 1966.
The chemical weapons convention requires states parties to make declarations of their chemical weapon activities since 1946. Declarations are to be made within 30 days of entry into force of the convention which is likely to occur early in 1997. No UK declaration has yet been made.
The Chemical Weapons Act 1996 implements the CWC in the United Kingdom. The Act will be commenced before the convention enters into force. The Act expressly binds the Crown subject to certain qualifications.