§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of Britain's progress in implementing the chemical weapons convention 1996; and if she will make a statement regarding the identification and recording of manufacture, holdings and transfer of law enforcement and riot control agents and chemical irritants. [3583]
§ Mrs. RocheThe United Kingdom has made substantial progress in implementing the chemical weapons convention which entered into force on 29 April. The Chemical Weapons Act 1996 provides the legislative framework to implement the convention. All the necessary secondary legislation has been made to enable my Department to license the production, possession and use of the most toxic chemicals and to implement the convention's trade controls. The United Kingdom submitted its initial declaration to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on 27 May and preparations are well advanced to receive the first inspection under the convention.
The holding of riot control agents for law enforcement purposes is permitted under the convention and the United Kingdom has declared to the OPCW the chemicals which are held for this purpose. There is no requirement under the convention to declare information concerning the manufacture and transfer of such agents.