§ Mr. Longdenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many times each of the five permanent members of the Security Council has exercised the right of veto accorded by Article 27(3) of the Charter of the United Nations; whether the proviso to that Article has ever been invoked, or could have been invoked, against any of the permanent members; and whether a permanent member loses its right of veto when it is successfully invoked.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe figures for the exercise of the right of veto in the Security Council are as follows:
China 1 France 4 Soviet Union 101 United Kingdom 3 United States 0 The proviso to Article 27(3) of the Charter of the United Nations has never been successfully invoked against any permanent member of the Security Council. It has been unsuccessfully invoked in four cases.
100WIf the proviso to Article 27(3) were to be successfully invoked against a permanent member, that member would be unable to exercise the right of veto.