Nuclear Weapons (Hansard, 1 February 1994)

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy toward the decision of the International Court of Justice to rule on the legality of nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Our position is that the use of nuclear weapons would have to be judged as lawful or not in the light of the particular circumstances in which they were used, and that it is inappropriate to burden the International Court of Justice with hypothetical questions of this nature.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he will undertake in deciding whether to make submissions to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We will be making a submission to the International Court of Justice on the question of the legality of nuclear weapons. Submissions are due to be made by 10 June.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to make a submission to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We will be making a submission.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is prepared to submit from British organisations on the legality of nuclear weapons to the International Court of Justice.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
None. Our submission to the International Court of Justice will set out the position of the Government on this question.
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