§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish information about the United Kingdom's chemical protection programme. [117307]
§ Mr. SpellarThe UK's chemical protection programme is designed to protect against the use of chemical weapons. Such a programme is permitted by the Chemical Weapons Convention, with which the United Kingdom is fully compliant. Under the terms of the 207W Convention, we are required to provide information annually to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. In accordance with the Government's commitment to openness, I am placing in the House of Commons Library a copy of the summary which has been provided to the Organisation outlining the UK's chemical protection programme for 1999.