§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether in view of the diminished resources available at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton, he is satisfied that a sufficient degree of technical study is still being given to the verification procedures that might be needed in connection with a chemical warfare arms-limitation agreement; and whether he has considered all possible ways of supplementing the study.
§ Dr. GilbertThe answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes". As far606W as the second part is concerned, the United Kingdom continues to take an active part in meetings of experts of the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament (CCD) considering the technical means by which a draft convention banning chemical weapons could be verified. The scope for further work on this will be determined when we are clearer on the scope of the Treaty and when CCD has completed its technical studies.