Oral Answers to Questions

Patricia Gibson Excerpts

Monday 1st February 2021 Commons Chamber

[Johnny Mercer]

We are currently in the process, as the hon. Member knows, of resolution in that case, and I am not going to comment on it in a public forum, but my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement will write to him this afternoon.

[Patricia Gibson (North Ayrshire and Arran) (SNP)]

What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

[Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP)]

What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

[The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Ben Wallace)]

The Government have been clear that we will not sign the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. We welcome the US offer to extend the new START—strategic arms reduction treaty—with Russia, and we would support that treaty and its robust verification mechanisms continuing.

[Patricia Gibson [V]]

The Secretary of State will be aware of the deep disappointment and frustration felt across Scotland and much of the UK because the UK Government did not join 85 other countries and sign up to the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons on 22 January. Can he explain why the UK has failed to support this treaty, and how this is consistent with its strategic objectives and obligations under article VI of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to make attempts in good faith to move towards the eventual abolition of nuclear weapons programmes?

[Mr Wallace]

The Government did not sign up to it because we do not think it is an effective way of dealing with this. We do think that the nuclear non-proliferation treaty is a more effective way of reducing both the spread and, indeed, the number of nuclear weapons on the planet, and that is why we favour gradual multilateral disarmament negotiated through a step-by-step approach.