§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in agreeing to open the United Kingdom to Israel's weapons industries, they made any effort to encourage Israel to adhere to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and to open its nuclear programmes to inspection by the IAEA.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyWe continue to take every appropriate opportunity to urge Israel to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will now answer his Questions as to the reasons why they decided to deny all knowledge and ignore all evidence of the Israeli nuclear weapon programme and Israeli nuclear weapons; when this policy decision was taken, and in the light of what persuasions, given that neither the Earl of Arran nor the Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, in their responses of 12th February 1992 and 7th December 1992, addressed these Questions.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyIt is not true that Her Majesty's Government ignored all allegations about an Israeli nuclear weapons programme. We are of course aware of disturbing reports on this issue. But we continue to believe that the best response is to urge Israel to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to conclude a full scope safeguards agreement with the IAEA. We also support proposals to create a Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction.