Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what positive outcomes they can report from the 3rd International Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons which they attended in Vienna.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The UK’s participation in the Conference was welcomed by many states, non-governmental organisations and parliamentarians. At the Conference, officials listened carefully to the participants, who expressed a very wide range of views. Some argued that the way to achieve the goal of a world without nuclear weapons was to ban weapons now or to fix a timetable for their elimination. This approach fails to take account of the stability and security which nuclear weapons can help to secure. None of us would gain from a loss of that stability. The UK believes that the UN Disarmament Machinery and the Non-Proliferation Treaty provide the right forum for working towards a world without nuclear weapons.
Our Ambassador to Austria restated our concern at the humanitarian consequences which could result from the use of nuclear weapons. That is why the UK works extremely hard to prevent the use of nuclear weapons; to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons; and to keep our own nuclear weapons safe and secure. We are also committed to working towards a world without nuclear weapons. In our Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010, the Government undertook to reduce the number of warheads we have by the mid-2020s. However, we shall retain a continuous submarine based deterrent, for as long as the global security situation makes it necessary.
A copy of the UK intervention at the Conference has been placed in the Library of the House and is attached to this response.
Asked by: Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they hope to make on Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty next year; and what obstacles they anticipate.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The Government will continue to implement the commitment announced in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, to reduce the number of operationally available nuclear warheads to no more than 120 and to reduce our overall nuclear weapon stockpile to no more than 180 by the mid 2020s. We will continue our efforts to build confidence between the Nuclear Weapons States (a fundamental foundation for disarmament). As one of those steps to foster mutual trust and confidence, the UK will host the next conference of P5 Nuclear Weapon States in London in February 2015.
We will also continue to push for entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and for negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty to start in the Conference on Disarmament. In addition, we will take forward our pioneering research into disarmament verification. We have made clear that our goal is a world without nuclear weapons. This goal has to be approached step by step through further reductions by the two States holding the majority of nuclear weapons and through increased confidence between the Nuclear Weapon States.
We remain fully committed to these efforts, despite the challenges of the current global security environment.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the outcomes of the international conference on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons held in Vienna on 8 and 9 December 2014; if he will publish on his Department's website all print and oral submissions made by the UK to the conference; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
A very wide range of views was expressed by participants at the Conference, as reflected in the factual summary of the conference issued under the Chair’s authority. Some argued that the way to achieve the goal of a world without nuclear weapons was to ban weapons now, or to fix a timetable for their elimination. This approach fails to take account of the stability and security which nuclear weapons can help to secure. None of us would gain from a loss of that stability. The United Kingdom believes that the UN Disarmament Machinery and the Non-Proliferation Treaty provide the right forum for working towards a world without nuclear weapons. The UK Ambassador restated our concern at the humanitarian consequences which could result from the use of nuclear weapons. That is why the UK works extremely hard to prevent the use of nuclear weapons, to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and to keep our own nuclear weapons safe and secure. We are also committed to working towards a world without nuclear weapons. We shall, however, retain a credible, continuous and submarine-based deterrent for as long as the global security situation makes it necessary. The UK intervention at the conference has already been published on the gov.uk website. I have also arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will propose at the next NATO Leaders Summit extending that alliance's support for the principles of weapons ban conventions, which are outlined in the Wales Declaration, to nuclear weapons.
Answered by David Lidington
As set out in its 2010 Strategic Concept, NATO is committed to the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons. However, for as long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO has stated that it will remain a nuclear alliance.
The United Kingdom fully supports efforts to combat the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction through the universalisation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention. Furthermore, the UK will continue to work to make nuclear weapons less necessary, with the goal of making them unnecessary. We believe that the best way to achieve a world without nuclear weapons is through gradual disarmament negotiated step–by-step within the framework of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010, we consider that our nuclear deterrent is the ultimate means to deter the most extreme threats, and the United Kingdom will retain a credible, continuous and effective minimum nuclear deterrent for as long as the global security situation makes it necessary.