Arms control
This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on arms control. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.
Standard Notes
| 01.03.2013 | In brief: The Arms Trade Treaty - trying again |
| This note surveys the state of the UN-based negotiations on an Arms Trade Treaty, which were due to be completed at a conference in New York in July 2012, but which were unable to reach agreement on a final text. However, the UN General Assembly has just agreed to convene a further UN Conference in March 2013. One way or another, the odds favour a treaty being agreed next year. |
| 28.01.2013 | In brief: North Korea and the nuclear issue one year on from the succession |
| After a failed ballistic missile launch by North Korea in April 2012, an apparently more successful one took place in December, characterized at the time by the regime as a satellite launch. The UN Security Council passed a resolution further toughening sanctions. North Korea has responded to the new sanctions with its customary threatening rhetoric and has announced that it is preparing to conduct a third nuclear weapon test, following on from those undertaken in 2006 and 2009. This note surveys the state of play on the nuclear issue in the light of internal developments in North Korea, where Kim Jon-Un appears to have consolidated his power. |
| 14.01.2013 | Update on the Trident Successor Programme |
| The programme to replace the UK's nuclear deterrent from 2028 onwards continues apace and in December 2012 the Government published its first update report to Parliament. |
| 08.01.2013 | Defence exports: Social Indicators page |
| Defence exports: Social Indicators page. By Allan Smith and Paul Bolton. SN/SG/2622. |
| 04.07.2012 | The Future of the British Nuclear Deterrent: Suggested Reading |
| This note sets out a list of suggested reading material which provides background on the decision to replace the nuclear deterrent, the international legal context for such a decision, the current debate on financial and political viability of the successor programme, and the potential alternatives to a submarine-based deterrent. |
Research Papers
| 15.06.2010 | Progress towards nuclear disarmament? |
| In April 2009 President Obama set out his vision for a world without nuclear weapons, and in doing so laid the groundwork for renewed international efforts to strengthen and advance the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Over the past year that momentum has translated into the agreement of a successor to the US-Russia START treaty, global commitments to secure highly vulnerable nuclear materials within four years and the establishment, at the May 2010 Review Conference, of an action plan in support of the three main pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This paper examines the prospects for achieving that vision of 'global zero'. |
| 11.02.2010 | Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill (HL) |
| The main purpose of the Bill is to create criminal offences in order to enforce the prohibitions set out in Article 1 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. This bans the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions on the grounds that they cause unacceptable harm to civilians, and establishes measures to minimise the harm to civilians in the aftermath of conflicts. Ninety-four states, including the UK, signed, and four states ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Oslo on 3 December 2008. Once the Bill has passed into law, the UK will then move to ratify the Convention, which has been ratified by 30 states, and will come into force on 1 August 2010. The Government has announced that it intends to destroy all cluster munition stockpiles by the end of 2013. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have given their full support to the Bill. |
| 11.12.2009 | The Islamic Republic of Iran: An introduction |
| This paper provides an introduction to the Islamic Republic of Iran; its politics, economy, foreign and defence policies, and nuclear programme. It examines the governmental structure of the theocratic state, analyses the key personalities and forums of decision-making and assesses Iran's policies at home and abroad. |
| 03.11.2006 | The Future of the British Nuclear Deterrent |
| The Future of the British Nuclear Deterrent. House of Commons Library Research Paper 06/53. |
| 16.09.2003 | Arms Control and Disarmament (Inspections) Bill (HL) (Bill 50 of 2002/03) |
| Arms Control and Disarmament (Inspections) Bill (HL). (Bill 50 of 2002/03). House of Commons Library Research Paper 03/70. |
Select Committee Reports
| 07.07.2011 | Government response to the first joint report from the Business, Innovation and Skills, Defence, Foreign... |
| Government response. Defence Select Committee; Foreign Affairs Select Committee; Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee; International Development Select Committee report [Commons] |
| 22.03.2011 | Scrutiny of Arms Export Controls (2011): UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2009, Quarterly Reports... |
| Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee; Defence Select Committee; Foreign Affairs Select Committee; International Development Select Committee report [Commons] |
| 12.10.2010 | Government response to the first joint report from the Business, Innovation and Skills, Defence, Foreign... |
| Government response. Defence Select Committee; Foreign Affairs Select Committee; Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee; International Development Select Committee report [Commons] |
| 16.03.2010 | Scrutiny of Arms Export Controls (2010): UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2008, Quarterly Reports... |
| Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee; Defence Select Committee; Foreign Affairs Select Committee; International Development Select Committee report [Commons] |
| 22.10.2009 | Scrutiny of arms export controls (2009). |
| Government response. Ministry of Defence; Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Department for International Development; Department for Business, Innovation and Skills report [Commons] |
Early Day Motions
| 11.01.2012 | WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION FREE ZONE IN THE MIDDLE EAST |
| That this House welcomes the Government's support for the establishment of a weapons of mass destruction free zone in the Middle East since the 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review ... |
| 07.11.2011 | CLUSTER MUNITIONS |
| That this House recalls the historic agreement reached in Dublin on 28 May 2008 creating the international convention prohibiting the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of all ... |
| 02.11.2011 | ETA CEASEFIRE |
| That this House welcomes the recent declaration by the Basque group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) of a permanent and verifiable ceasefire at the Donastia-San Sebastian Peace Conference; ... |
| 12.09.2011 | ARMS TRADE |
| That this House notes that the arms export priority markets for the UK Trade and Investment's Defence and Security Organisation in 2010-11 included Algeria, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi ... |
| 23.06.2011 | NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION |
| That this House welcomes President Obama's statement to Parliament during his recent state visit that the United States `will meet its obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation ... |
Lords Library Notes
| 21.01.2013 | Debate on 24 January: Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament |
| This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the debate to be held on 24 January on the prospects for multilateral nuclear disarmament, and the contribution which Britain could make. |
| 15.01.2010 | Debate on 21st January: prospects for nuclear disarmament and strengthening non-proliferation. LLN 2010/002 |
| Debate on 21st January: Prospects for Nuclear Disarmament and Strengthening Non-Proliferation.
This Library Note aims to provide background reading for the
Debate to be held on Thursday 21st January:
'To call attention to the prospects for multi-lateral nuclear disarmament and for strengthening nuclear non-proliferation'
The Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference will take place in May 2010. This Note summarises the main issues
addressed in the Foreign Office information paper Lifting the
Nuclear Shadow: Creating the Conditions for Abolishing
Nuclear Weapons and the Government's agenda for the Review Conference, as laid out in the Cabinet Office paper The Road to 2010: Addressing the Nuclear Question in the Twenty First Century. The Note also chronicles the main developments in the international community since the publication of these papers and summarises some of the contributions to the nuclear debate from a variety of sources, including the views of the UN Secretary General and the former Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency. |
| 20.03.2009 | The potential for nuclear proliferation: debate on 26th March 2009. LLN 2009/003 |
| The potential for nuclear proliferation. House of Lords Library Note 2009/003 |
