United Kingdom Policy On Anti-Personnel Landmines

EDM number 255 in 1994-95, proposed by Ann Clwyd on 12/12/1994.

That this House views with horror the indiscriminate and inhumane civilian carnage caused by anti-personnel mines in over 60 countries; notes that anti-personnel mines remain active for decades, hindering development and causing injury and death; notes the production of a US Department of Defense report in June 1994 which examines the military utility of anti-personnel mines to US forces in the context of the US's overall military strategy and which questions the utility of anti-personnel mines to US armed forces; expresses concern that UK policy on anti-personnel mines, which could affect millions of civilians in poor countries, is based on a paucity of similar research; notes that UK policy does not support a global ban on the production and use of anti-personnel mines, and supports the export of anti-personnel mines which allegedly self-destruct or self-neutralise; notes that the Ministry of Defence has conducted no research into the failure rates of such self-destructing or self-neutralising anti-personnel mines; and therefore, with a view to exploring thoroughly the subject of the military utility of anti-personnel mines against their humanitarian cost, calls upon the Government, in consultation with expert UK mine-clearance charities, to publish detailed research examining the utility of anti-personnel mines to UK forces in the context of the UK's overall military strategy, and to publish research examining the failure rates of currently available anti-personnel mines which allegedly self-destruct or self-neutralise, and their purchase cost.

This motion has been signed by a total of 88 MPs.