Nuclear Weapons (Hansard, 14 June 1994)

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when he expects to put in the British submissions to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons;
(2) what representations he has received and what consultations he has held on the British submissions to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons;
(3) whether his submissions to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons will be published or placed in the Library.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 28 February,Official Report, column 547.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have participated in the EU discussions within the framework of working groups on a common European foreign policy in respect of the application by the World Health Organisation to the International Court of Justice on nuclear weapons.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
They have.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his submissions to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons will embrace the question of threat to use as well as possession and use.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The request is for an opinion on whether the use of nuclear weapons by a state in war or other armed conflict would be lawful, and that question is addressed by our submission.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government are making to other EU Governments about an EU submission to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons, on concerting individual Government submissions or on a common EU position on the issue.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 28 February,Official Report, column 547. In drafting our submission, we have had consultations with Government Departments, allies, and some European partners.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will be seeking parliamentary approval for the British Government's submission to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
No. Our submission to the International Court of Justice will be approved by relevant Ministers.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the admissibility of the World Health Organisation submission to the International Court of Justice on the legality of nuclear weapons.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
As we made clear during the debate at the World Health Assembly in 1993, we do not406W consider that the question of the legality of nuclear weapons is within the competence of the World Health Organisation. We have great respect for the valuable work that the World Health Organisation has conducted in the health field. The legality of nuclear weapons, however, is an entirely different matter.