Lib Dems call for swift action on nuclear proliferation

4.09.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 31st Mar 2009

Liberal Democrat Lords call for a step up in nuclear non-proliferation action in a House of Lords debate

Baroness Williams of Crosby, Liberal Democrat peer, opened the debate by drawing to the House's attention the fact that no agreement has yet been reached to renew the nuclear proliferation that expires in the spring of 2010. She laid the blame at the feet of existing nuclear powers for failing to ‘energetically and persistently' pursue nuclear disarmament.

She identified two major threats of nuclear proliferation:

"The first of those new risks is familiar: the probable massive expansion of civil nuclear power. ... We now have another 37 proposals for new nuclear power stations and some 300 in the planning process. ... a great many of those planned and those under construction are in countries with virtually no experience or knowledge of managing nuclear power. The lack of knowledge and awareness is terribly important".

"The second major threat to existing structures has been little discussed and debated: the emergence of cyber power in a major way. Cyber power, the capacity to effectively disrupt, alter or diverge information in the computer world and in the world of space, can effectively disrupt and even destroy the command and control systems on which the present controls over nuclear power and nuclear weapons are conducted. This is much more dangerous than people believe."

Baroness Williams identified a number of steps that could be taken to reduce the "multiplication of nuclear power in the world". She called for the passing of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, a reduction in nuclear arsenals, a fissile material cut-off treaty and the "gradual multilateralisation of the fuel cycle".

She went on to identify the ultimate goal as the abolition of nuclear weapons from the world. She believed that "a treaty of fuel material stocks and international globalised inspection" would be necessary to achieve this aim.

In a speech later in the debate, Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer addressed the issue of fissile material, stating:

"Countries are looking more and more to nuclear power, so any increase in the use of fissile material must be matched by a substantially increased effort to ensure its safe storage through robust stocktaking exercises."

She highlighted the ongoing risk of accident as a result of US and Russian policy to maintain a high alert status, noting that this had led to many reported and unreported near misses in the past.

Lord Dykes attacked the Trident defence system, noting the "the fallacious irrationality of the submarine-based deterrent arguments" and calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons:

"The sooner we get rid of that madness - mutually assured destruction is MAD and is madness - the better for all of us."

Baroness Falkner of Margravine spoke on nuclear proliferation in Iran, Pakistan and India. With regards to Iran, she expressed her support for "a multinational consortium with Iran to produce enriched uranium inside the country, thus transferring a purely national programme to international ownership, management and supervision." She also warned the Prime Minister that nuclear disarmament would only be achieved hand-in-hand with resolution of the conflicts in Israel / Palestine and Kashmir.

Lord Lee of Trafford, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson, wrapped up the debate for the Lib Dems. He set out the Lib Dem policy that "the Trident nuclear system should be continued and maintained, and its operational life extended. The final decision of any successor system should be taken around 2014 when significant capital spend would begin to be incurred." Internationally, he called for the speeding up of the disarmament process and the reduction of excessive nuclear stockpiles.