Claire Mills

A Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted in the UN on 7 July 2017. It received ratification by its 50th State Party on 24 October 2020. It will now enter force in January 2021. It is the first multilateral, legally-binding, instrument for nuclear disarmament to have been negotiated in 20 years. However, the nuclear weapon states have declared their intention not to sign and ratify the new treaty. As non-signatories they are not legally bound by its provisions. The lack of engagement by the nuclear weapon states subsequently raises the question of what this treaty can realistically achieve?

There are 14 British Overseas Territories across the globe with a total population of 260,000. The Territories differ greatly in their level of economic and social development and their population size. Since March 2020 the UK Government has been working with the Overseas Territories to ensure they receive the help they need to manage outbreaks of Covid-19.

The Public Bill Committee for the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill concluded on 22 October 2020. Despite a significant number of tabled amendments to Parts 1 and 2 of the Bill, no changes were made. The Bill is not without controversy and MPs are expected to return to some of its more contentious provisions when it comes back to the Floor of the House. Report Stage is scheduled for 3 November 2020.

What does the unveiling of new ballistic missiles indicate about Kim Jong-un's nuclear programme?

The French nuclear deterrent is the one that is most often compared to the UK’s nuclear forces. While there are similarities in terms of policy, posture and size, there are also significant differences in terms of industrial support and cost. In contrast to the UK all of the major political parties in France support an independent nuclear deterrent, and domestic support is high. This paper examines the French nuclear deterrent in greater detail. It is also part of a wider Library briefing series on nuclear weapons.

The Government presented the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill on 18 March 2020, thereby meeting its 100-day self imposed deadline. Second Reading has been scheduled for 23 September 2020. Aspects of the Bill are already generating controversy.

A general debate on ‘The situation in Yemen’ has been scheduled for Thursday 24 September 2020 in the Main Chamber. This debate was selected by the Backbench Business Committee.

On 26 February 2020, the Prime Minister set out the government’s approach to the Integrated Review of security, defence, development and foreign affairs. This paper provides links to a selection of news, analysis and comment on the upcoming Integrated Review.

This Insight examines the current nuclear restrictions under New START and the prospects for future arms control.

Bilateral agreements aimed at restricting the nuclear arsenals of the United States and the Soviet Union/Russia have been in place since the early 1970s. For the first time in nearly 50 years that nuclear arms control architecture is now potentially heading towards a crisis.

In a vote in July 2016 the House of Commons approved the decision to maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent beyond the early 2030s. After almost a decade of work on the project, that vote subsequently enabled the programme to move forward into its manufacturing phase, which will see the construction of four new Dreadnought class ballistic missile submarines over the next 15-20 years.

Since the acquisition of the UK's first strategic nuclear deterrent in the 1950s, the cost of procuring and maintaining it, and which Government department should finance it, has always been a matter of much debate.

In February 2020 the Government confirmed the existence of a replacement warhead programme for its nuclear deterrent. A decision on replacement has been long-awaited, with work on possible options underway since 2006.