§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 10 July,Official Report, column 394, if he will commission an evaluation of the report prepared by Stephen Hughes MEP and C. L. Beaver for the European Parliament's environment committee on the environmental and health effects of French nuclear testing at Mururoa and Fangataufa in French Polynesia, to assess its relevance to British dependent territories in the region. [35166]
§ Mr. David DavisWe are naturally concerned to ensure the environmental protection of British dependent territories, but note the assurance given by President Chirac that the proposed programme of nuclear tests will cause no damage to the environment.
§ Mr. SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assess the relevance to British policy of the written reply, number 1519/95 EN by the EU Environment Commissioner on 28 June to Nuala Ahern MEP, on the notifications made by France to the European Commission on nuclear testing under Article 34 of the EURATOM Treaty. [35168]
§ Mr. DavisWe have no current plans to carry out any further nuclear tests. The Commission's reply, to which the hon. Gentleman refers, therefore has no consequences for British policy.
§ Mr. SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received regarding the welfare of British nationals on board the Greenpeace ship "Rainbow Warrior II" near the Mururoa atoll in the Pacific ocean. [35154]
§ Mr. HanleyNone.
We have reminded the French authorities of their obligations towards us in respect of any British nationals they detain.
§ Mr. SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what treaty restrictions exist on the ability of Her Majesty's Government to share with another nuclear weapons power data on nuclear weapons simulations obtained by use of the Nevada test site either independently or in collaboration with the United States Government. [35153]
§ Mr. DavisIn the event that such information were obtained from US sources, article VII of the 1958 UK/US mutual defence agreement states that it could not be communicated to third parties without the approval of the US Government.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Governments have made representations to him concerning the proposed French nuclear testing at Mururoa atoll; and if he will make a statement. [35416]
1022W
§ Mr. DavisWe have discussed this question with a number of Governments, particularly those in the south Pacific. We have made clear our own views on several occasions.