Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of the joint US-Israel declaration on preventing Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We note the US and Israel adopted the Jerusalem Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration in July 2022. The UK's long-standing objective is that Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. Iran has been in non-compliance with its nuclear commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) since 2019 and its nuclear programme has never been more advanced than it is today. Iran's escalation of its nuclear activities is threatening regional and international peace and security and undermining the global non-proliferation system.
There has been a viable deal on the table since March which would return Iran to compliance with its JCPoA commitments, and return the US to the deal. The deal would reverse Iran's nuclear escalation, return Iran's nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. If Iran fails to conclude the deal its nuclear escalation will cause the collapse of the JCPoA. In this scenario we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of comments by Iranian official Kamal Kharrazi that that country has the technical ability to build a nuclear bomb.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Iran has been in non-compliance with its nuclear commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) since 2019 and its nuclear programme has never been more advanced than it is today. Iran's escalation of its nuclear activities is threatening regional and international peace and security and undermining the global non-proliferation system.
There has been a viable deal on the table since March which would return Iran to compliance with its JCPoA commitments and return the US to the deal. The deal would reverse Iran's nuclear escalation, return Iran's nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. If Iran fails to conclude the deal its nuclear escalation will cause the collapse of the JCPoA. In this scenario we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of Iran's nuclear activities during negotiations over a renewed nuclear deal.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Iran has been in non-compliance with its nuclear commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) since 2019 and its nuclear programme has never been more advanced than it is today. Iran's escalation of its nuclear activities is threatening regional and international peace and security and undermining the global non-proliferation system.
There has been is a viable deal on the table since March which would return Iran to compliance with its JCPoA commitments and return the US to the deal. The deal would reverse Iran's nuclear escalation, return Iran's nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran has so far refused to conclude the deal and continued its nuclear escalation. If Iran fails to conclude the deal its nuclear escalation will cause the collapse of the JCPoA. In this scenario we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Iran nuclear deal.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Iran has been non-compliant with its nuclear commitments since 2019. Iran's nuclear programme has never been more advanced than it is today. Iran's escalation of its nuclear activities is threatening regional and international peace and security and undermining the global non-proliferation system.
We have reached the end of talks in Vienna to restore the nuclear deal. There is a viable deal on the table which would return Iran to compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments, and return the US to the deal. The deal would reverse Iran's nuclear escalation, return Iran's nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. If Iran fails to conclude the deal its nuclear escalation will cause the collapse the JCPoA. In this scenario we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of Iran’s non-compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Iran's nuclear programme is more advanced than ever, and is continuing to worsen. This includes producing Highly Enriched Uranium which is unprecedented for a state without a nuclear weapons programme. Iran's nuclear escalation is threatening international security and undermining the global non-proliferation system.
We have reached the end of talks in Vienna to restore the nuclear deal. There is a viable deal on the table which would return Iran to compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments, and return the US to the deal. If Iran fails to conclude the deal its nuclear escalation will collapse the JCPoA. In this scenario we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for international peace and security of Iran achieving nuclear breakout.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Iran's nuclear programme is more advanced than ever, and is continuing to worsen. This includes producing Highly Enriched Uranium which is unprecedented for a state without a nuclear weapons programme. Iran's nuclear escalation is threatening international security and undermining the global non-proliferation system.
We have reached the end of talks in Vienna to restore the nuclear deal. There is a viable deal on the table which would return Iran to compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments, and return the US to the deal. If Iran fails to conclude the deal its nuclear escalation will collapse the JCPoA. In this scenario we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, both in the UN and with bilateral partners, to assess the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on support for the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, ahead of the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to be held in New York in August.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers and senior officials regularly engage in the UN and with our international partners on matters relating to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The NPT has, for the last 50 years, been the cornerstone of international efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, create a nuclear weapon free world and enable access to the peaceful use of nuclear technology.
The UK was part of the G7 Non Proliferation Directors Group Statement on 9 May, which strongly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and reaffirmed the G7's commitment to strengthening the NPT and existing nuclear security architecture. The UK looks forward to working with all states to strengthen the NPT at the upcoming Tenth Review Conference this August.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking in response to the finding of the Integrated Review that it is likely that a terrorist group will launch a successful chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapon attack by 2030.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK monitors closely acquisition and use by states and terrorists of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials. We work with our partners to uphold the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Security Material. The UK's 2021 Presidency of the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (GP) generated funding and practical support to institutions which counter the CBRN threat. The UK has supported activity under UN Security Council Resolution 1540 on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to terrorists and other non-state actors.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a response to Early Day Motion 493 on US-UK-Australia military pact.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The enhanced security partnership agreed between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States (AUKUS) is a concrete articulation of the UK's ambition, made in the Integrated Review, to deepen defence, security and foreign policy ties with like-minded allies across the globe. It will help promote stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region. The first initiative under AUKUS will be a collaboration on future nuclear powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. The proposed submarines use a nuclear reactor uniquely as a power source. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty does not prohibit the use of nuclear propulsion technology. The US and the UK take their obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty extremely seriously. Australia remains committed to fulfilling all of its obligations as a non-nuclear weapons state, including with the International Atomic Energy Agency. Our three nations are deeply committed to upholding our leadership on global non-proliferation.
Asked by: Lord Collins of Highbury (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish an assessment of the (1) global security, and (2) national security, impact of the agreement in the form of an exchange of notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America on Technology Safeguards associated with United States Participation in Space Launches from the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Securing global security and national security through non-proliferation are intrinsic objectives of the Technology Safeguards Agreement, which seeks to ensure that sensitive space launch technology is protected and may not be accessed by unauthorised parties.
It is fully consistent with obligations under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), to which the United Kingdom and the United States are founding members, and with the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, to which the United Kingdom and United States are subscribing states.
The UK’s observance of international obligations and commitments, in particular in regard to non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means of their delivery, through its commitments to the multilateral export control regimes, which include the MTCR, and other mechanisms such as the Hague Code of Conduct, has been UK Government policy for many years and was reaffirmed in the written statement to Parliament by the then Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skill, Dr Vince Cable, on the 25th March 2014. In addition, the Government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy presented to Parliament by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister by Command Paper 203 (March 2021) highlighted the UK’s continued commitment and importance of safeguarding access to advance sensitive technologies to both State and non-State actors.