Proceeding contribution from Chris Bryant (Labour) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 23 March 2010. It occurred during Debate on bill and Committee of the Whole House (HC) on Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill [Lords].
Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill [Lords]
I am afraid that that has nothing to do with clause 23, which is about the disclosure of information. My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say—I have tried to make this point a couple of times now, and I will take a third stab at it—that there have to be clear and unambiguous guidelines for British personnel. Those guidelines have to be available not only to our personnel, so that they fully understand the position that they are in and what they can and cannot do, but to forces of other nationalities with whom we are operating. As I said earlier—I think my hon. Friend missed it—it is right that we should ensure that where British personnel have exclusive control over what munitions are used, they do not seek the use of cluster munitions. However, it would not be right for British troops to refuse to use an American aeroplane in Afghanistan, for instance, because they knew that it had been or might be used for cluster munitions at some point. That is a clear distinction that is laid down in the convention and the Bill, although not in clause 23, which I hope will stand part of the Bill. Question put and agreed to. Clause 23 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Secondary information
- Type
- Proceeding contribution
- Reference
- 508 c168-9
- Session
- 2009-10
- Chamber / Committee
- House of Commons chamber
- Subjects
- Disclosure of information Armed forces Decommissioning Deployment Arms control Cluster munitions Enforcement Powers of entry Prosecutions Treaties
- Legislation
- Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill (HL) 2009-10
- Link
- View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk
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- 2024-04-21 20:35:41 +0100
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