Minister for the Middle East and North Africa (): Today the UK published its
National Report ahead of the Tenth Review Conference of the
Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
(NPT). This report reviews the progress that the UK has made
against the NPT’s three pillars: disarmament, non-proliferation
and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It will be submitted to
the UN before the Tenth Review Conference that will take place in
New York in January 2022.
The UK’s commitment to the Treaty and to fulfilling our NPT
obligations remains undiminished. As an original signatory of the
NPT, and a Nuclear Weapon State that takes its responsibilities
seriously, the UK remains committed to the long-term goal of a
world without nuclear weapons where all states share in the
peaceful uses of nuclear technologies.
The NPT has been an unmitigated success for over 50 years. It is
the centre of international efforts to stop the spread of nuclear
weapons, to create a nuclear weapon-free world, and to enable
access to the peaceful use of nuclear technology.
Despite its successes, we should not underestimate the challenges
facing the global nuclear order. We have previously identified
risks to the UK from major nuclear armed states, emerging nuclear
states and state-sponsored nuclear terrorism. Those risks have
not gone away; some have increased. We face a deteriorating
nuclear security environment. The increase in global competition,
challenges to the international order, and the proliferation of
nuclear weapons pose a significant challenge to strategic
stability. We must work to reverse this trend. The NPT will be
central to this and we must continue to work with others to
reinforce the parts of the international architecture that are
under threat. We must also shape the international order of the
future so that it can respond effectively.
We are proud of our contributions to the NPT and the steps we
have taken since the last Review Conference in 2015.
We have played a leading role by pioneering work in nuclear
disarmament verification, championing transparency and advancing
risk reduction. We continue to work closely with international
partners, civil society and academia to enhance mutual trust and
confidence and create the environment for further progress on
disarmament. We continue to press for significant steps towards
multilateral disarmament. This includes the entry into force of
the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, and successful
negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty in the
Conference on Disarmament. We possess the smallest stockpile of
any of the Nuclear Weapon States recognised by the NPT and are
the only one to maintain a single delivery system. Maintaining
the UK’s nuclear deterrent capability at a minimum credible
level, taking into account the international environment, is
fully consistent with our international legal obligations,
including those under Article VI of the NPT.
The UK continues to be a strong supporter of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which underpins non-proliferation
under the NPT. We have sought to strengthen the international
nuclear safeguards system, through our diplomatic efforts and
through direct assistance from our Nuclear Safeguards Programme.
The Review Conference offers opportunities to encourage all
states that have not yet done so to sign, ratify and implement
safeguards agreements. We seek new opportunities to enhance the
security of nuclear materials, ensuring these arrangements remain
robust and evolve to meet new threats. We will promote the
ratification of security conventions at the Review Conference and
continue to provide direct assistance to other states through our
Global Nuclear Security Programme.
Finally yet importantly, we want to highlight the
sometimes-overlooked part of the NPT: the peaceful uses of
nuclear technologies. The UK has encouraged and will continue to
encourage the development and exchange of peaceful nuclear
technologies enabled by the NPT. This has a positive impact on
people’s lives through nuclear medicine, food safety and pest
control. Nuclear technologies have a critical part to play in
tackling climate change – not only in helping to achieve Net
Zero, but also through nuclear applications that can help
countries to adapt and become more resilient to climate change.
Looking towards the Tenth Review Conference, the UK seeks an
outcome that strengthens the NPT as the irreplaceable foundation
and framework for our common efforts on nuclear disarmament,
non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
The UK is ready to work with all countries to strengthen the
regime and to promote international stability, peace and
security.
A copy of the report has been placed in the Libraries of both
Houses and on the gov.uk website.
