Lords to debate nuclear disarmament
19 January 2010 (updated on 22 April 2010)
The prospects for multi-lateral nuclear disarmament and for strengthening nuclear non-proliferation will be debated in the House of Lords on 21 January
The debate comes ahead of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference this May, an event at which around 150 nuclear and non-nuclear States will meet to discuss implementation of measures outlined in the Treaty.
Defence experts and former Secretaries of State taking part
Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench) will open the debate. He is a former Foreign Office diplomat who chairs the All Party Group on Global Security and Non-Proliferation.
Other Members scheduled to take part, including five former Secretaries of State, are:
- Lord Lee of Trafford, a former Conservative Minister for Defence, who is now Defence spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats.
- Lord Robertson of Port Ellen (Labour), former Secretary of State for Defence and former Secretary General of NATO.
- Lord Giddens (Labour), director of the Centre for Social Research and former director of the London School of Economics.
- Lord Howe of Aberavon (Conservative), former Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer.
- Lord Howell of Guildford (Conservative), former Secretary of State for Energy who chaired the Commons Select Committee on Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for 10 years.
- Lord Judd (Labour), a former Minister for Overseas Development and for the Foreign Office.
- Lord Owen (Crossbench), former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
- Lord Patten of Barnes (Conservative), former Secretary of State for the Environment and a former Minister for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
- Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench), former Adjutant-General to the armed forces.
Lord Addington, Baroness Falkner of Margravine and Viscount Waverley will also take part.
Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead will speak on behalf of the Government.
Further information
- List of speakers - Lords Government Whips Office (external site)
- Lords Hansard - debate transcript available approximately three hours from the start of the debate
- House of Lords Library Note: Prospects for Nuclear Disarmament and Strengthening Non-Proliferation (PDF)
- Alphabetical list of Members of the Lords
- Parliamentary calendar