Written question asked by Geoffrey Cox (Conservative) on Thursday, 1 March 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 5 March 2007. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Tuesday, 6 March 2007 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Conference on Disarmament

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps the Government have taken within the Conference on Disarmament to achieve consensus on commencing negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: I visited the Conference on Disarmament on 22 February 2007 to discuss this issue and, in a speech to the conference, encouraged delegations to move forward on these negotiations. The UK fully supports the immediate commencement of negotiations and the conclusion of a treaty on fissile material cut-off. In advance of a treaty coming into force, the UK, in 1995, announced that it had ceased production of fissile material for weapons purposes. This moratorium remains in place.

Secondary information