GOVERNMENT NUCLEAR WEAPONS POLICY

Early day motion 579, tabled 30 March 2000 by John McWilliam (Labour). Signed by 82 members.

That this House believes that multilateral nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament measures are fundamental to international security; notes with concern events in India, Iraq, Pakistan, and North Korea; is deeply concerned at the lack of political will being invested by the United States as leader of the Western alliance in the START process, the nuclear CTBT, the Anti-Ballistic Misile Treaty and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; recalls the United Kingdom's legal commitment under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to negotiate the elimination of its own nuclear weapons in a multi-lateral context; and urges the Government to seek the agreement of the United States, in advance of next months NPT conference which it is hoped the Prime Minister will attend, that it is now time to begin the lengthy process of negotiating a verifiable and enforceable global ban on nuclear weapons.

Signatures by party: Labour 52, Liberal Democrat 23, Labour/Co-operative 3, Scottish National Party 2, Independent 1, Independent Labour 1.