§ 38. Mr. Jim MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about his Department's policy towards chemical weapons. [1196]
§ Mr. Tony LloydThe Government is committed to the elimination of all chemical weapons and will ensure that the UK continues to play a leading role in international efforts to prevent their proliferation. I welcome the recent ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) by the United States and very much hope that Russia, the other declared possessor of chemical weapons, will shortly follow suit. The First Conference of States Parties to the CWC concluded on 23 May in The Hague. It was successful in taking the key decisions necessary to400W establish the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and ensure the full and effective implementation of the Convention.