UN NUCLEAR WEAPONS BAN TREATY

That this House is very concerned that no state which currently possesses nuclear weapons particpated in the renewed UN discussions on a Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty, which will conclude in July 2017; believes that this is the most significant legislative move for nuclear disarmament for some time; understands that the Treaty will constitute an unambiguous political commitment to achieve and maintain a nuclear weapon-free world; is dismayed that these UN talks have not attracted more coverage from the mainstream media; is encouraged by the fact that more than 100 countries attended these talks despite the fact that Britain, France, Israel, Russia the US voted against the UN's proposal to create a legally-binding treaty banning nuclear weapons; is aware that there is an ever-growing threat of nuclear disaster with international concerns over North Korea's nuclear programme and a recent White House aide indicating that the US pledge towards a world without nuclear weapons was being reviewed; is further aware that expert analysis and evidence considered by the Vienna Conference in December 2014 showed with stunning clarity that the risks, accidents, mistake, radiation and climate impacts and the local, regional and global humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, have been hugely underestimated; and is mindful of the Scottish Parliament's consistent opposition to nuclear weapons and their deployment in Scotland by the Government.