Skip to main content

Nuclear Smuggling

Volume 281: debated on Wednesday 17 July 1996

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes in policy concerning the detection and deterrence of nuclear smuggling he plans to implement. [36073]

The UK is actively involved in international efforts to confront the problems of nuclear smuggling. The nuclear safety summit held in Moscow in April agreed a programme for preventing and combating illicit trafficking in nuclear materials. Adherents—the G7 and Russia, plus the Ukraine—agreed to improve co-ordination between their Governments on all aspects of prevention, detection and prosecution of cases involving nuclear smuggling. We strongly encourage other states with an interest in the issue to join, and an international experts meeting dedicated to the implementation of this programme will be held as soon as possible.