Chemical Weapons Convention (Hansard, 7 December 1992)

§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much notice must be provided by states parties before access must be granted(a)to declared facilities and (b) undeclared facilities under the challenge inspection provisions of article IX of the chemical weapons convention.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Under the challenge inspection provisions of article IX of the chemical weapons convention, access must be permitted no later than 120 hours for undeclared facilities, and 100 hours for declared facilities, after notice of inspection has been provided by states parties.

§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what allowances have been made for the retention of disabling agents for riot control purposes under the terms of the chemical weapons convention.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Under the terms of the convention, states parties will be entitled to use toxic chemicals for law enforcement, including domestic riot control purposes,460W provided that such chemicals are limited to those not listed in the schedules to the convention and which can produce rapidly in humans sensory irritation or disabling physical effects which disappear within a short time following termination of exposure. States parties will undertake not to use riot control agents as a method of warfare.

§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial and personnel resources will be made available to ensure commercial compliance with the terms of the chemical weapons convention in the United Kingdom; and if custodial sentences may be applied to any individuals in the commercial chemical industry found to be in serious breach of the terms of the chemical weapons convention in the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Her Majesty's Government will give detailed consideration to issues relating to the implementation of the convention after its signature. The convention will not enter into force before 1995.

§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the transparency of the operation of the chemical weapons convention preparatory commission; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The rules of procedure of the preparatory commission have yet to be drawn up. Her Majesty's Government are therefore not yet in a position to make a firm decision on its policy towards the transparency of the operation of the commission.

§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department will publish the draft rules of procedure for the preparatory commission before states-signatories to the chemical weapons convention formally adopt them following the signing of the convention; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The rules of procedure for the preparatory commission have yet to be drawn up. Any decision on whether such rules should be made public before being formally adopted will be for all states involved in drawing them up.

§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resources will be made available to the Scientific Advisory Board of Independent Experts to review the scientific and technological developments that could affect the operation of the chemical weapons convention.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
It will be for the conference of states parties of the chemical weapons convention to decide what resources will he made available to the scientific advisory board.

§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations will take place between the chemical weapons convention preparatory commission and representatives of the scientific community and chemical industry regarding the establishment of the organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
It will be for the preparatory commission of the chemical weapons convention to decide what consultations it may have with representatives of the scientific community and the chemical industry.
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§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 16 November,Official Report, column 47, if the United Kingdom will be an original signatory of the chemical weapons convention.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The United Kingdom fully intends to be an original signatory of the chemical weapons convention.