§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their policy towards the Geneva negotiations for a verification protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention; and what is their assessment of the risks should such a protocol fail to be agreed. [HL886]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)Completion of a legally-binding protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention is an important arms control objective for the United Kingdom as it will fill the last remaining gap in provisions covering weapons of mass destruction. The UK is playing a leading role in the Ad Hoc Group negotiations in Geneva, where we chair the sessions on compliance measures. We hope to see substantive progress towards the successful conclusion of a protocol during 2000.