§ Mr. DavidsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what successful steps the Government have taken since May 1997 to achieve multilateral nuclear disarmament. [158786]
§ Mr. HoonSince May 1997 the UK has
ratified the Treaty of Raratonga (South Pacific Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone) in September 1997:ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) in April 1998, worked actively for its entry into force and for its verification arrangements to be established as soon as possible;agreed strengthened international safeguards arrangements for the UK with the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) in September 1998, following international agreement of model strengthened international safeguards arrangements for non-nuclear weapon states in May 1998;helped ensure a positive outcome to the 2000 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, and played a key role in the success of the negotiation of a Final Document which both reviewed progress over the last five years and set out an agenda for the next five. Of particular significance in the Document was the "unequivocal undertaking by the550Wnuclear-weapon States to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament to which all states are committed under Article VI of the NPT".engaged in consultations among the Nuclear Weapons States (NWS) leading to the joint NWS announcement in May 2000 that "none of our nuclear weapons are targeted at any State";agreed to contribute £70 million over the next 10 years as part of the G8 programmed to help dispose of Russian weapons-grade plutonium announced at the Okinawa summit in July 2000.ratified the Treaty of Pelindaba (African Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone) in February 2001.The UK has also worked hard internationally to create the broader security environment necessary to enable further nuclear reductions without jeopardising our own security.The practical measures on nuclear disarmament in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) in July 1998 enabled the Government to show the commitment of the UK as a Nuclear Weapon State to make its own contribution to the goal of the global elimination of nuclear weapons. They included the reduction in the size of our deterrent and greater transparency about our nuclear and fissile material stockpiles. These SDR measures will help lay the ground for UK participation in multilateral negotiations when the conditions are right.