Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Lord Bellingham Excerpts

Thursday 9th July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

Not at all. My job is as the Minister with responsibility for development in Africa. I am confident that there are Members of this House who are very able, should they so wish, in order to respond to the suggestions of the noble Lord, to set up a committee to examine these matters and to do so in a more public way than has been deemed appropriate. I am sure Members in the Commons had their reasons for setting their committee up in the way that they did. I am sure that it is not beyond the wit of Members of this House to address those issues in the way that they see fit.

[Lord Bellingham (Con)]

My Lords, can the Minister say something about New START, the treaty which was the last remaining bilateral arms control agreement between the US and Russia, which has expired? What is the future of that treaty? I know that is a slightly separate issue, but it is related.

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

That might be a question better addressed to my colleague at the Ministry of Defence. My understanding of these issues is that our position remains consistent with that of previous Administrations. I do not have anything new that would be particularly illuminating in response to the noble Lord’s question.