§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place within the Geneva negotiations on chemical and biological weapons about the problems posed by the compound fentanyl; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorThe chemical weapons convention will apply to all chemical warfare agents whether or not they are explicitly named. It will also include a verification regime for certain chemicals produced in industry which are assessed to pose a risk to the objectives of the convention. Many detailed aspects of this verification regime remain to be resolved including the implication of chemicals such as fentanyl which are capable of modification. These issues are under consideration in Geneva.