§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many chemical weapon production facilities have yet to be destroyed under the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons regulations. [103054]
§ Dr. HowellsI have been asked to reply.
The United Kingdom abandoned its offensive chemical weapons capability in the mid-1950s. In accordance with our obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) the UK has declared to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) eight former chemical weapons production facilities. Of these facilities, four have been destroyed, one is due to be destroyed, one has been approved by the OPCW to be used for purposes not prohibited by the CWC and the remaining two are awaiting similar approval from the OPCW.
In its 1998 Annual Report, the OPCW reported that fifty-nine chemical weapons production facilities had been declared by States Parties as of 31 December 1998. All of these will have to be destroyed unless the States Parties concerned decide to seek approval to use any of the facilities for peaceful purposes under the provisions of the CWC.