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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 2 June 1992
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Disabled Employees
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Attorney-General what percentage of the total work force in the Law Officers' departments is registered as disabled ; what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people in those departments ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : Neither the legal secretariat to the Law Officers nor the Serious Fraud Office has any officers who are registered as disabled. Some 3.5 per cent. of the total work force in the Serious Fraud Office is composed of staff with disabilities who have chosen not to be registered.
In the Crown prosecution service 0.7 per cent. of established staff-- 5,318.5 staff as at 1 June 1991--were registered disabled. The CPS also employs staff with disabilities who are not registered, but the numbers are not readily available.
In the Treasury Solicitor's Department 2 per cent. of the established staff of 500 as at 1 June 1991 were registered disabled. Each of the Law Officers' departments is an equal opportunities employer. Moreover, the CPS will shortly introduce a programme for action on the disabled which will include guidance and good practices on the recruitment and retention of disabled people.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Commonwealth of Independent States
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the total tonnage of all meat products despatched to each CIS republic separately from the United Kingdom under all aid programmes has been (a) delivered to warehouses in former CIS republics, (b) delivered to retail outlets ready for sale and (c) delivered to caring and educational institutions for free distribution.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Russia is the only CIS republic to have received meat products from the United Kingdom under an aid programme. Of the total of 5,200 tonnes of beef delivered, approximately one third went to meat processing factories, one third to retail
outlets--supermarkets--and one third to special institutions--hospitals, schools and orphanages.
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what moneys have been spent on providing know-how to persons residing permanently in the CIS on the subject of farm product and retail food distribution.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Food distribution is one of four priority areas identified for assistance under the
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Government's know-how fund for the former Soviet Union. In Russia alone we have already provided £1.022 million as technical assistance to support Feed Aid, food processing and distribution, plus about £1 million for a study of bread production in Moscow. A further £1.6 million has been earmarked for food-related projects and several further major food production and distribution proposals are currently under consideration.In Ukraine, we have approved a £2.5 million food marketing and distribution project. Expenditure to date is £0.075 million. Also under way is a £0.460 million radioactivity food screening project, of which £0.1 million has been spent.
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total tonnage of all meat products despatched to CIS states from the United Kingdom under all aid programmes in the last six months.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : A total of 5,200 tonnes of beef were despatched to Russia from the United Kingdom under all aid programmes during the last six months. No deliveries were made to other CIS states.
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many monitors from EC countries have been stationed in each of the former CIS republics, with the responsibility for monitoring meat distribution in each of the last six months.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : An EC task force of some 50 personnel from the member states has been based in Russia since the end of January, monitoring the transport and distribution of EC humanitarian food supplies. The United Kingdom has supplied six personnel at any time. In other states of the former Soviet Union, the Commission has arranged for European non- governmental organisations to monitor delivery and distribution.
Cambodia
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United Nations development programme about aid to Cambodia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The staff of the British mission in Phnom Penh and in the ODA's regional office in Bangkok are in regular contact with UNDP officials about aid priorities in Cambodia. We attend the regular donor co- ordination meetings convened by the UNDP in Phnom Penh to underpin the efforts of the UN aid co-ordinator, Mr. Bernander ; we have welcomed the UNDP's role in providing technical support to the Supreme National Council ; and through a seconded ODA official we have contributed to the UNDP's "Comprehensive Paper on Rehabilitation Needs of Cambodia". The UNDP is one of ODA's partners in co-financing a health planning project in Phnom Penh and other possibilities for co-operation have been discussed.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assistance in personnel and aid has been given to Cambodia in each year since 1979 ; and what assistance is planned for the current year ;
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(2) if he will list the ODA personnel currently serving in Cambodia.Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The table shows disbursements of United Kingdom gross bilateral aid to Cambodia for the years 1979 to 1990.
Gross bilateral aid to Cambodia 1979-90 (£'000)
|Financial Aid|Technical |Total
|(including |co-operation
|debt relief)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |703 |- |703
1980 |486 |- |486
1981 |110 |- |110
1982 |18 |- |18
1983 |693 |- |693
1984 |18 |- |18
1985 |18 |- |18
1986 |18 |- |18
1987 |18 |- |18
1988 |18 |100 |118
1989 |18 |283 |302
1990 |- |110 |110
In addition, during this period £1.25 million was allocated to support programmes in Cambodia carried out by the United Nations Children Fund, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organisation ; and nearly £15 million has been committed for assistance for refugees on the Thai -Cambodian border.
Firm expenditure figures are not yet available for 1991 and 1992, but, since the signing of the Paris peace accords in October 1991, the United Kingdom has granted an additional £750,000 to the World Food Programme for food pre-positioning for returnees and for the internally displaced ; made payments of £2 million to the UNHCR in support of the repatriation programme ; and has met a further £180, 000 of the cost of bridge strengthening and provision along the repatriation route. Since January 1991 some £950,000 has been spent on the joint funding scheme in support of non-governmental organisations in Cambodia in the health, education, water supply and other priority sectors.
In the current financial year, further support for non-governmental organisations activity is planned and we are developing a significant programme of bilateral country assistance focused on health, water supply, English language training and some essential infrastructural improvements.
Between 1979 and the Paris peace accords, assistance with personnel was provided indirectly through our support for NGOs and the multilateral agencies.
Two permanent members of ODA's staff are currently on secondment in Cambodia. One is the deputy head of the British mission, with special responsibility for development matters. The other is ODA's senior health and population adviser. She is seconded to the World Health Organisation and is leading a health planning and management team in the Ministry of Health in Phnom Penh.
In addition, we expect more than 20 technical experts financed by the ODA to be undertaking short and long-term assignments in Cambodia during the course of this year in the fields of English language training, water use and development, inland fisheries, urban planning and support to small scale industry. We are also fully funding a repatriation adviser working with the International Federation of the Red Cross in support of the UNHCR repatriation effort.
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Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Government of Thailand and (b) the Governments of other countries about deforestation in Cambodia.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Under the co-ordination arrangements between donors, the United Kingdom's main focus in Cambodia is on health, water use and development, English language training, and bridge repair to assist repatriation. Forestry is not a sector of concentration for the United Kingdom in Cambodia. However, deforestation and other environmental dangers are critical issues for the development of Cambodia ; and ODA officials in Phnom Penh have participated in discussions with the Supreme National Council and other country representatives, including Thai officials, at which these issues have been raised. We have urged EC officials to tackle forestry and environmental protection problems in the next tranche of EC assistance. We expect environmental concerns to play a prominent part in the forthcoming co-ordination meeting in Tokyo on 22 and 23 June at which the United Kingdom will be represented at ministerial level.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of health needs in Cambodia.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Malaria is considered the major health problem in Cambodia, with some 500,000 cases per year resulting in between 5,000 and 10,000 deaths. Other serious problems are tuberculosis ; diarrhoeal and other childhood communicable diseases ; undernutrition and micronutrient deficiency ; pregnancy-related problems ; and trauma.
In the short term, the immediate needs are adequate supplies of potable water, food and essential medicines and equipment ; a programme of child immunisation ; and the transfer of basic health skills. In the longer term, it will be essential to rebuild and strengthen the health service system.
In response to these needs, the United Kingdom is co-funding the WHO's three year anti-malaria programme in-country ; ODA has seconded a senior health and population adviser to a two-year WHO assignment in the Cambodian Ministry of Health ; and assistance to the water sector is a priority in the United Kingdom bilateral programme to Cambodia.
Guatemala
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, United Nations agencies and the Overseas Development Administration bilaterally, separately provide to Guatemala.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Guatemala has been in non-accrual status--default with the World bank--since 1990 because of loan arrears. The Guatemalan Government have indicated their intention fully to clear their arrears to the bank, and discussions are in progress about this. Parallel discussions with the IMF on the possible use of resources under the IMF standby arrangement are continuing. The various United Nations agencies operate different systems of financial control and it is not possible to provide reliable figures on an annual country basis.
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There is no British bilateral aid programme at present. We have agreed to provide £22.5 million of grant aid for a joint infrastructure project, yet to be agreed, to support the development of full and normal relations between Belize and Guatemala. A total of £15 million will be spent in Guatemala.Southern Africa (Drought)
Mr. Biffen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest assessment of the consequences of the drought in southern Africa ; and what plans there are to provide further unilateral and multilateral British aid.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The most comprehensive assessment of the consequences of the drought is to be found in the appeal document just issued jointly by the United Nations and the Southern African development co-ordination conference--SADCC. This indicates that up to 130 million people may be affected, with cereal production at less than half the normal level and an import requirement of some 11.6 million tonnes. We have already pledged some £30 million in additional drought-related assistance and will continue to play a full and active part in the international response to the drought, including attendance by my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development at a UN/SADCC conference in Geneva on 1 and 2 June.
Zimbabwe and Zambia
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what means and through what agencies the expenditure of £5 million for Zimbabwe and £5 million for Zambia will be spent ; and what restrictions have been applied to the use of these moneys respectively.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The additional balance of payments aid for Zambia and Zimbabwe, announced on 4 March and 29 April in response to the drought and totalling £10 million and 7.5 million respectively, is being made available by way of reimbursement of completed and satisfactorily documented fuel oil transactions subject to undertakings that equivalent sums will be allocated to purchase food or other drought-related goods.
Sri Lanka
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to increase the amount of grant aid to Sri Lanka.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : As I stated in my written reply of 24 July 1991 to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon), consideration of major new aid commitments to Sri Lanka was delayed following the expulsion of the British high commissioner last year. This policy remains under review.
Aid Budget
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set a timetable for Britain's overseas aid budget to reach the UN target of 0.7 per cent. of gross national product.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : No. The Government have stated on many occasions that, while they accept the target and are providing for real-terms increases in the aid programme, they are not prepared to set down a timetable.
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Zaire
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Zaire concerning human rights ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The Zairean Government are fully aware of the importance the United Kingdom attaches to human rights. Together with EC partners, we have made regular representations to the Zaireans on the internal political situation in Zaire, including the need for democratic reform and respect for human rights.
Sierra Leone
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Sierra Leone concerning human rights ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have stressed to Sierra Leone's National Provisional Ruling Council in Freetown the importance we attach to human rights, in particular that those detained following the coup be released or properly charged. We have also asked them to honour their commitment to return Sierra Leone to multiparty democracy as soon as possible.
Bangladesh
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been made by Her Majesty's Government to the appeal made in early April by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for donors to meet an increased requirement for $27.5 million to aid 150,000 additional refugees arrived in Bangladesh.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees appealed to the international community on 9 March 1992. The United Kingdom responded on 24 March with a contribution of £1 million, the largest single contribution made to this appeal. Our contribution via the EC amounts to about £50,000 and we have additionally responded to a Red Cross appeal with a further £200,000.
Tropical Rainforests
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to encourage a reduction in the deforestation of the tropical rainforests.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The ODA has more than 200 forestry projects under way or in preparation, at a cost of over £158 million to the aid programme. We are working for a statement of principles on the sustainable management of the world's forests to be agreed at the UN conference on environment and development and a legally binding agreement thereafter. We take a leading role in promoting sustainable forest use in international fora such as the International Tropical Timber Organisation and the tropical forest action programme.
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Kurdistan
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Overseas Development Administration has directly spent on its own activities in Iraqi Kurdistan in the month of April ; and what is the projected figure for May 1992.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : In 1991-92 we gave a total of £51.5 million for humanitarian relief to Iraq, of which £824,000 was provided in grants to British and Kurdish non-governmental organisations for relief work in northern Iraq. Some of this money is still being spent. Expenditure figures for April and May 1992 are not available. In May we provided a further £600,000 towards the cost of UN guards in Iraq.
RMS St. Helena
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the tender documents for the new RMS St. Helena contract.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The tender documents are not expected to be issued before 5 June. A copy will be placed in the Library as soon as possible.
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Maastricht Treaty
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those additional areas of policy which are to be subject to majority voting under the Maastricht treaty, setting out an explanatory memorandum in each case.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I refer my hon. Friend to the detailed answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 20 May to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing).
A memorandum analysing the provisions of the Maastricht treaty and their implications for the United Kingdom in the Community was submitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee enquiry into "Europe after Maastricht". This memorandum has been published by HMSO and is available in the Library of the House.
Press and Public Relations
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the total expenditure by his Department on press and public relations in 1979-80 and in each following year up to and including 1991-92 ; and if he will give an estimate for 1992 -93.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The details are as follows.
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Total expenditure by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on press and public relations from 1983-84 to 1990-91,
latest estimates for 1991-92 and budget provisions for 1992-93 are (£ million)
Year |Payments to |Other |Running costs |Running costs |Costs of |Total
|Central Office |information |of Diplomatic |of ODA Wing |information
|of Information |services |Wing |Information |staff at
|for overseas |Information/ |Department |overseas posts
|information |News
|material and |Department
|related activities
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 |17.4 |0.9 |1.8 |0.3 |12.4 |32.8
1984-85 |18.8 |0.8 |1.4 |0.3 |12.8 |34.1
1985-86 |18.3 |0.9 |1.9 |0.3 |13.6 |35.0
1986-87 |18.7 |0.7 |1.9 |0.2 |14.6 |36.1
1987-88 |19.2 |0.9 |2.0 |0.2 |17.6 |39.9
1988-89 |18.3 |0.9 |1.8 |0.3 |17.5 |38.8
1989-90 |18.1 |3.3 |2.4 |0.4 |18.8 |43.0
1990-91 |15.7 |5.8 |3.6 |0.4 |23.2 |48.7
1991-92 |12.6 |4.9 |4.1 |0.4 |24.8 |46.8
1992-93 |9.3 |6.9 |4.3 |0.4 |25.9 |46.8
Note:
Figures for the period before 1983-84 are not available on a comparable basis.
Thailand
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Thailand about human rights abuses there.
Mr. Goodlad : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 22 May, at column 310 .
Disabled Employees
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the total work force in his Department are registered as disabled ; what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people within his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Goodlad : The Foreign and Commonwealth Office employs 48 registered disabled persons--RDPs--with 24 in the diplomatic wing--1.1 per cent. of its home civil service payroll or 0.4 per cent. of its total work force--and 24 in the Overseas Development Administration, 1.9 per cent. of its total work force.
Recent steps to encourage the employment of disabled people include use of the disability logo ; placing recruitment advertising in publications aimed specifically at people with disabilities ; interviewing all RDPs who meet the sift criteria ; establishing a budget for accommodation changes and the purchase of equipment ; and giving disabled staff access to positive action and development training courses run specifically for people with disabilities.
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Sea Levels
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what examination has been made of the susceptibility of United Kingdom protectorates in the southern hemisphere to sea level rises arising from global warming.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The United Kingdom has contributed to the work of the coastal zone management group of the intergovernmental panel on climate change which is undertaking studies on the vulnerability of small island and low-lying states to sea-level rise. The United Kingdom also contributes to the trust fund of the IPCC to enable developing countries to play a full part in this work.
In addition, the Overseas Development Administration has funded a preliminary study of the effects of sea level rise for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. The results of this work were presented at the IPCC workshop on "The Rising Challenge of the Sea" held in Venezuela in March 1992.
Diplomatic Services
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which countries the United Kingdom provides diplomatic services for the Republic of Ireland.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Her Majesty's Government have agreed to provide consular protection to Irish nationals in countries where the Republic of Ireland is not represented.
Croat and Bosnian Refugees
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom, alone or in conjunction with the other member states of the European Community, has or intends to provide assistance to Slovenia to assist it in dealing with the Croat and Bosnian refugees in Slovenia.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The United Kingdom has since November 1991 given £3.3 million bilaterally and £6.4 million through the EC in humanitarian aid to the former Yugoslavia. This money has been allocated primarily to the International Committee of the Red Cross and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for work in all the republics of the former Yugoslavia according to need.
Gulf Ecology
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters in regard to progress made in ecological restoration of the desert and the Gulf waters and shores were discussed during his recent visit to Kuwait to meet Ministers of the Gulf Co- operation Council.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : No such discussions took place during my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs' visit to Kuwait.
Debt Payment
Sir Michael Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what distribution has taken place within his Department and the purchasing
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organisations for which he has responsibility of the Department of Employment's publication "Making the Cash Flow--A Guide to the Payment of Commercial Debt for Buyers and Small Business Suppliers".Mr. Goodlad : "Making the Cash Flow" was prepared as guidance for the private sector and there was therefore no formal distribution to other Government Departments. Guidelines on purchasing by Government Departments already exist and are distributed by HM Treasury. The Department of Employment has been undertaking a survey of the prompt payment record of Government Departments during the financial year 1991-92 and the results of this exercise will be published in the near future by the Department of Trade and Industry, which now has responsibility for small firms issues, including late payment. After studying these results the Department will consider what further measures, if any, may be necessary to encourage prompt payment by the public sector.
Sir Michael Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy guidelines are currently in place within his Department and the purchasing organisations for which he has responsibility in respect of the prompt payment of commercial debt, particularly as it relates to small business suppliers.
Mr. Goodlad : Government Departments, including their executive agencies, are required to pay their bills promptly. The timing of payment should normally be stipulated in Government contracts. Where there is no contractual provision or other understanding, Departments should pay within 30 days of receipt of goods/services or the presentation of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment, whichever is the later. To help encourage prompt payment of bills by Government contractors to their sub-contractors, all Government contracts are to contain a clause requiring the supplier or contractor to pay its sub-contractors promptly. In the absence of normal practice to the contrary for that type of contract or other special circumstances, the commitment should be to pay the sub-contractor within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment as defined by the contract.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy towards the strengthening of the inspection procedures in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty ; and what would be the financial implications thereof.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : With European partners we put forward a list of proposed improvements to International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, including greater use of special inspections, in September 1991. We welcome the recent reaffirmation by the board of governors of the IAEA of the agency's right to conduct such inspections. Extending safegurds activities will have financial implications. Within the total provision for safeguards in the agency's draft budget for 1993-94 some 500,000 US dollars are allocated for a review and analysis of background information relevant to safeguards activities, including special inspections.
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Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the actions that may be taken against a state that violates its obligations under the nuclear non- proliferation treaty.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Under article XIIC of the IAEA statute, the IAEA board of governors is required to report any state which violates its safeguards obligations under the NPT to the Security Council and general assembly. It is then for the Security Council to decide on appropriate action--as it has done with Iraq. Should the state in question not take full corrective action within a reasonable time, the board of governors may curtail or suspend assistance being provided to it by the agency or by an IAEA member, and call for the return of materials and equipment. The agency may also suspend any non-complying member from the exercise of the privileges and rights of membership.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is the effect of article VI of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty with regard to the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the United Kingdom may deploy above the number presently deployed on Polaris ;
(2) what are the implications for the United Kingdom's treaty obligations under article VI of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty of the deployment of a United Kingdom tactical air-to-surface missile ;
(3) what are the impllications for the United Kingdom's treaty obligations under article VI of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to Her Majesty's Government's decision to raise the maximum level of warhead deployment of the strategic nuclear force with the introduction of the Trident missile system.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : It is the Government's policy to maintain the minimum nuclear capability necessary to ensure effective deterrence. This is consistent with the United Kingdom's obligations under article VI of the non-proliferation treaty.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy towards a greater use of special inspection procedures under the existing terms of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have long advocated greater use of special inspections. With European partners, we put forward a list of proposed improvements to IAEA safeguards, including greater use of special inspections, in September 1991. We welcome the recent reaffirmation by the board of governors of the IAEA of the agency's right to conduct such inspections.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what status his Department accords the declarations of intent included in the preamble to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : As a matter of law, the substantive articles of the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons are binding upon states parties. The declarations of intent contained in the preamble to the treaty are not, but reflect the long term aspirations of the signatories. The Government attach great importance to them.
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