§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, following the convention on the prohibition of bacteriological weapons, he will take the initiative within the United Nations for the banning and destruction of chemical weapons.
§ Mr. TomlinsonThe Government have already taken an initiative. As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department told my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Rodgers) on 23rd December, we have tabled a draft convention on the comprehensive prohibition of chemical weapons at the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva. This was done on 12th August 1976, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs drew this to the attention of the United Nations in his speech to the First Committee on 2nd November. The General Assembly subsequently adopted by consensus a resolution on chemical weapons which requested the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament to
continue negotiations as a matter of high priority, taking into account existing proposals, with a view to reaching early agreement".