Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what scientific or other consultations they carried out prior to voting against the United Nations General Assembly resolution on nuclear war effects and scientific research.

HMG engages in regular dialogue with civil society, including NGOs and academia, on nuclear disarmament and other security issues. The UK voted against the draft resolution on nuclear war effects and scientific research because we believe there is abundant scientific information and research already available on this topic, and the purpose of this panel was unclear. We made an Explanation of Vote to that effect (The devastating consequences of a nuclear war are already clear: UK explanation of vote at the UN First Committee), which can be found at GOV.UK.

HMG engaged with the main sponsors, New Zealand and Ireland, and in the UN consultations, and ultimately concluded that such a panel could not alter or add to the already well-known conclusions of the devastating consequences of a nuclear war.