Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the long-term aims of the multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations to be held in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 71/258, in the light of the aims of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The Government has discussed nuclear disarmament issues, including UN General Assembly Resolution 71/258, with numerous States over the last six months. Those discussions have taken place with Embassies in London, through UK Embassies overseas, in international organisations and directly between capitals. The UK Government will not attend the substantive negotiations, which started on 27 March. We do not believe these negotiations will lead to effective progress on global nuclear disarmament. The best way to achieve this goal is through gradual multilateral disarmament negotiated using a step-by-step approach and within existing international frameworks.