HC Deb 02 November 1998 vol 318 cc345-7W
25. Mr. Savidge

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government are taking to promote global nuclear disarmament. [55905]

Ms Oona King

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government are taking to promote global nuclear disarmament. [55777]

Mr. George Robertson

The Government set out their comprehensive approach towards nuclear disarmament in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) in July 1998. Many of the national measures announced in the SDR will help lay the ground for UK participation in multilateral negotiations when the conditions are right. In addition, since May 1997 the United Kingdom has:

  • ratified the Treaty of Raratonga (South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone) in September 1997;
  • ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in April 1998;
  • agreed strengthened international safeguards arrangements for the UK with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in September 1998, following international agreement of model strengthened international safeguards arrangements for non-nuclear-weapon states in May 1998;
  • played an active role in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Strengthened Review Process in preparation for the next Review Conference in 2000;
  • engaged in international consideration at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva of security assurances to Non-Nuclear-Weapon States;
  • worked for the successful agreement at the Conference on Disarmament in August 1998 on the opening of negotiations on a treaty to prohibit the production of fissile material in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;
  • continued consultations with regional states of South East Asia aimed at moving towards UK signature of the relevant protocols to the Treaty of Bangkok (South East Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone);
  • entered into discussions with the states of Central Asia on establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in their region;
  • played a leading role in co-ordinating the international response to the nuclear tests conducted by India and Pakistan in May 1998;
  • contributed nationally and through the European Union to the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO) to assist in full implementation of North Korea's international safeguards obligations; and
  • continued to make a major contribution to the IAEA's efforts in Iraq.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress the Government have made towards multi-lateral nuclear disarmament since May 1997. [56028]

Mr. George Robertson

The Government set out their comprehensive approach towards nuclear disarmament in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) in July 1998. Many of the national measures announced in the SDR will help lay the ground for UK participation in multilateral negotiations when the conditions are right. These include the reduction in the size of our deterrent; greater transparency about our nuclear and fissile material stockpiles; placing fissile material no longer required for defence purposes under international safeguards; reprocessing of spent fuel from the defence Chapelcross reactors under international safeguards; beginning a national historical accounting for fissile material produced; and beginning a programme to develop UK expertise in verifying the reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons. In addition, since May 1997 the United Kingdom has:

  • ratified the Treaty of Raratonga (South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone) in September 1997;
  • ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in April 1998;
  • agreed strengthened international safeguards arrangements for the UK with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in September 1998, following international agreement of model strengthened international safeguards arrangements for non-nuclear-weapon states in May 1998;
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  • played an active role in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Strengthened Review Process in preparation for the next Review Conference in 2000;
  • engaged in international consideration at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva of security assurances to Non-Nuclear-Weapon States;
  • worked for the successful agreement at the Conference on Disarmament in August 1998 on the opening of negotiations on a treaty to prohibit the production of fissile material in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;
  • continued consultations with regional states of South East Asia aimed at moving towards UK signature of the relevant protocols to the Treaty of Bangkok (South East Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone);
  • entered into discussions with the states of Central Asia on establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in their region;
  • played a leading role in coordinating the international response to the nuclear test conducted by India and Pakistan in May 1998;
  • contributed nationally and through the European Union to the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO) to assist in full implementation of North Korea's international safeguards obligations; and
  • continued to make a major contribution to the IAEA's efforts in Iraq.