HL Deb 27 November 1995 vol 567 cc20-1WA
Lord Walton of Detchant

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in the light of the massive toll of death and mutilation resulting from the indiscriminate use of anti-personnel landmines, especially in developing countries, they will seek to promote an international ban on the manufacture and sale of such devices, unless they are fitted with a time-limited detonator.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey:

We agree that the progressive elimination of "dumb" anti-personnel landmines without a self-destruct mechanism would make an important contribution towards reducing the dangers to civilians from the irresponsible use of anti-personnel landmines. Together with the US and other countries, we are seeking to achieve this through a Landmine Control Programme (LCP), complementary to our efforts to strengthen the UN weaponry convention, which will promote an international ban on the production, further stockpiling and transfer of non-self-destructing and non-detectable anti-personnel landmines.