HC Deb 12 January 1995 vol 252 cc179-81W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional financial, logistical, technical or other support is to be made available by the United Kingdom to the International Atomic Energy Agency in fulfilment of the commitment entered into by Her Majesty's Government's support of section VI, page 23 of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Budapest summit declaration of 6 December.

Mr. Baldry

The IAEA has been working since 1993 on a package of measures designed to strengthen and streamline the agency's system of safeguards, in particular with a view to better detect clandestine nuclear weapons programmes. The United Kingdom will take a view on appropriate levels of financial, logistical, technical or other support in the light of the decisions taken by the IAEA board of governors, who are meeting to consider full proposals in March 1995.

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government in 1994 to uphold the commitment made under section I of the principles governing non-proliferation at page 22 of the OSCE Budapest summit declaration of 6 December, in regard to the control of missiles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction and their components and technology.

Mr. David Davis

The United Kingdom is an active member of the missile technology control regime which seeks to control exports of missiles, as well as components and technology, capable of delivering nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. The United Kingdom continues to work closely with her MTCR partners to limit the proliferation of ballistic and cruise missiles in accordance with her commitments under the regime.

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to ascertain whether the proposed extension of the 1958 Anglo-American mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters, Cm. 2686, is compatible with the commitments entered into by Her Majesty's Government as a signatory to the OSCE Budapest summit declaration of 6 December, in regard to section VI, part 1, subsection 3 on the control of the transfer of missiles, their components and technology.

Mr. Baldry

We have no doubt that the 1958 United Kingdom United States agreement for co-operation in the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes is consistent with the commitments reaffirmed by the OSCE Budapest summit declaration.

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what grounds of policy Her Majesty's Government supported the section under nuclear proliferation, at page 23 of the OSCE Budapest summit declaration of 6 December which calls for the indefinite and unconditional extension of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Mr. Baldry

We support indefinite and unconditional extension of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty because it provides the best possible framework for the prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons, for negotiations on nuclear disarmament, and for the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether the United Kingdom's purchase of Trident missiles and their auxiliary technological support from the United States of America falls within the affirmation made by the participating states of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe under the principles governing non-proliferation, page 22 of the Budapest summit declaration of 6 December.

Mr. Baldry

The United Kingdom's purchase of the Trident system does not conflict with the affirmation made on page 22 of the Budapest summit declaration. Trident is committed to NATO and forms part of the stable security environment envisaged in the summit declaration.