Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made on negotiations on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. [158405]

Alistair Burt, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: The Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was opened for signature in July 1968, and entered into force in 1970. Review Conferences are held every five years, to review the operation of the Treaty, with Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) meetings also held in the three years preceding the Review Conference.

In April - May 2013, the second PrepCom for this review cycle was held among state parties, under the Chairmanship of Coronel Ferruta of Romania. The main issues for debate were around disarmament, the proliferation challenges of Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and the conference planned on the establishment of a Middle East Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone. The UK statements are available on the UN website:

http://www.un.org/disarmament/WMD/Nuclear/NPT2015/PrepCom2013/

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