§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what work his Department is currently carrying out to support and implement arms control treaties in the fields of(a) chemical weapons and (b) nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement. [22508]
§ Mr. Tony LloydThis Department works closely with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Defence to ensure that the UK remains in full compliance with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which the United Kingdom ratified in 1996, and to promote the universality and effective implementation of the Treaty. This involves coordinating and preparing positions for, and leading the UK Delegation at, the periodic Conferences of States Parties of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague; and preparation for and attendance at the regular meetings of the OPCW's Executive Council.
The UK is a Depositary State for and a leading member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This Department leads and co-ordinates UK participation in the review process for the treaty, which includes a Review Conference every five years and Preparatory Committee meetings in the three years preceding each Conference. The FCO is also sponsoring legislation to enable the UK to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
The UK is also a member of the Australia Group and Nuclear Suppliers Group, which formulate and implement export controls for materials, equipment and technology relevant to chemical weapons and nuclear programmes respectively. The UK will become chair of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in April 1998.
This Department also leads on a range of actions in other multilateral fora (e.g. the European Union, NATO) and in bilateral action with individual states in support of the objectives of these treaties and bodies.