§ Mr. HowardTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in negotiations on the development of an international agreement on biological weapons. [50718]
§ Mr. Tony LloydSince 1994 an ad hoc group of states parties has been meeting in Geneva to consider measures to strengthen the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention. UK officials chair the key sessions on compliance measures at these negotiations. The ad hoc group has made good progress and is now working on the rolling text of a draft Protocol to the Convention. 1998 has seen a significant intensification of the negotiations. Much detailed work remains to be done but the United Kingdom, together with its EU partners, believes that an effective package of measures could be agreed during 1999.