asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the nature of British participation in the Agreement on the Resolution of Practical Problems with respect to Deep Seabed Mining Areas of 14th August 1987.

The United Kingdom participated fully in the negotiations which led to the Agreement on the Resolution of Practical Problems with respect to Deep Seabed Mining Areas. The agreement was signed on 14th August 1987. The United Kingdom is associated with it by an Exchange of Notes with the Soviet Union, and as a consequence, is subject to, and has the benefit of, its provisions. The texts will be published in due course.