Clause 2 - Implementation of future revisions to
Arms Control and Disarmament (Inspections) Bill [Lords]
8:55 am
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk, Conservative)
This clause raises in some ways the most important issue in the Bill. It empowers Governments to make future changes to the Act by statutory instrument, rather than by bringing them before the House. Although my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Worcestershire said that, on this occasion, we would not oppose such a move, he made it clear that it was stretching our good will, as we regard such procedures as inadvisable. I fully appreciate that future changes to the treaty may prove necessary, and that they will in turn have to be incorporated into UK law. However, the passage of the Bill has not yet detained either House for very long, so bringing future changes before the House would not exactly overburden us.
We seek again a clear and unequivocal reassurance from the Government that they will not cite the Bill's exception to the rule that treaty matters are for primary legislation as a precedent for future modifications to other treaties. As my hon. Friend said, we remain convinced that primary legislation is the correct way to deal with treaties and I hope that the Minister will unequivocally state that that is his view, too.