Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what positive outcomes they can report from the 3rd International Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons which they attended in Vienna.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The UK’s participation in the Conference was welcomed by many states, non-governmental organisations and parliamentarians. At the Conference, officials listened carefully to the participants, who expressed a very wide range of views. Some argued that the way to achieve the goal of a world without nuclear weapons was to ban weapons now or to fix a timetable for their elimination. This approach fails to take account of the stability and security which nuclear weapons can help to secure. None of us would gain from a loss of that stability. The UK believes that the UN Disarmament Machinery and the Non-Proliferation Treaty provide the right forum for working towards a world without nuclear weapons.
Our Ambassador to Austria restated our concern at the humanitarian consequences which could result from the use of nuclear weapons. That is why the UK works extremely hard to prevent the use of nuclear weapons; to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons; and to keep our own nuclear weapons safe and secure. We are also committed to working towards a world without nuclear weapons. In our Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010, the Government undertook to reduce the number of warheads we have by the mid-2020s. However, we shall retain a continuous submarine based deterrent, for as long as the global security situation makes it necessary.
A copy of the UK intervention at the Conference has been placed in the Library of the House and is attached to this response.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take give a political lead at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference to be held from 28 April to 9 May 2015 in New York, in the light of that conference taking place during the election period.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The UK takes all of its international obligations seriously. We are still developing our approach to next year’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, taking account of international developments and consultations with other States Parties. We are also considering the implications for the UK’s approach, given the Review Conference’s concurrent timing with the general election.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they hope to make on Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty next year; and what obstacles they anticipate.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The Government will continue to implement the commitment announced in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, to reduce the number of operationally available nuclear warheads to no more than 120 and to reduce our overall nuclear weapon stockpile to no more than 180 by the mid 2020s. We will continue our efforts to build confidence between the Nuclear Weapons States (a fundamental foundation for disarmament). As one of those steps to foster mutual trust and confidence, the UK will host the next conference of P5 Nuclear Weapon States in London in February 2015.
We will also continue to push for entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and for negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty to start in the Conference on Disarmament. In addition, we will take forward our pioneering research into disarmament verification. We have made clear that our goal is a world without nuclear weapons. This goal has to be approached step by step through further reductions by the two States holding the majority of nuclear weapons and through increased confidence between the Nuclear Weapon States.
We remain fully committed to these efforts, despite the challenges of the current global security environment.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what priorities they identified at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty preparatory committee earlier this year that they will pursue at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review itself.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
Our officials actively participated in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) 2014 Preparatory Committee, which provided a valuable opportunity to engage with NPT States Parties on priorities for the Review Conference. The Government’s objectives reflect our overall approach to the NPT: we want to agree further progress towards a world free from nuclear weapons and to highlight our actions in support of this; encourage action that will help to contain any threat of proliferation or non-compliance with the NPT; and support the responsible global expansion of civil nuclear industries. We believe that the NPT is the cornerstone of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and we therefore hope that NPT States Parties will be able to agree a consensual outcome balanced across all three mutually-reinforcing pillars to strengthen that position.