MINUTES OF MEETING HELD IN ROOM 4E.01, ST ANDREW'S HOUSE, EDINBURGH AT 9.30 AM ON WEDNESDAY, 27 AUGUST 2008
Present
Bruce Crawford, MSP, Minister for Parliamentary Business (Chair)
John Deighan, The Catholic Church
Richard Dixon, WWF Scotland
Dr Rebecca Johnson, The Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy
Isobel Lindsay, Scotland4Peace
Alan Mackinnon, Scottish CND
Professor William Walker, St Andrews University
Cllr James Robb, Argyll & Bute Council
In Attendance
Paul Johnston, Scottish Government Legal Directorate
John McFarlane, Special Adviser
Kevin Veitch, Office of Minister for Parliamentary Business
Elspeth Hough, Cabinet & Corporate Secretariat
Rebecca Winterstein, Cabinet & Corporate Secretariat
Apologies
1. Apologies had been received from the Rev. Ian Galloway, Gillian Slider, Dave Moxham, Scott Blair, Ian McMahon (observer) and Osama Saeed.
Introductory Remarks
2. The Minister welcomed the participants to the meeting and noted that the planned update on theme 1 (economic impact) would be deferred until the next meeting due to the indisposition of Dave Moxham.
Minutes of Meeting held on 9 April 2008
3. The minutes of the meeting held on 9 April (SWNW(08)1st Conclusions) had been agreed by email and had been placed on the Working Group's website.
Introduction to Theme 2: International Legal Opinions
4. Professor Walker introduced discussion of the second theme on the remit, explaining how international law worked, and the context for the opinions on the legality of nuclear weapons that had been sought in recent years.
5. The Group:
(a) Noted the complexities of international law in reference to the possession and proposed use of nuclear weapons;
(b) Noted the existence of the Negative Security Assurances which had been agreed in 1995 by the Nuclear Weapons States Parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and that these had been referred to in the text of a United Nations Security Resolution although they had not been enshrined in a Treaty;
(c) Noted that environmental law was a field of increasing relevance in the consideration of the legality of the use and threat of use of nuclear weapons;
(d) Noted that the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy was organising a conference on the legality of nuclear weapons. This would take place in Edinburgh on 3 February and Working Group members would be invited to attend; (Action: Rebecca Johnson)
(e) Agreed that a statement of the Group's view on the legality of nuclear weapons should be developed (Action: Secretariat/Professor Walker).
Introduction to Theme 5: Peace and Reconciliation (Paper SWNW(08)06)
5.Isobel Lindsay introduced paper SWNW(08)06 which addressed the potential for Scotland to play a role in the promotion of peace and reconciliation.
6.The Group:
(a) Noted the range of initiatives in which other small countries were currently engaged to support peace and reconciliation;
(b) Noted that this was the UN International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for Children of the World and that there would be a requirement for UN members to report progress made; noted that Peace One Day was now celebrated annually on 21 September;
(c) Noted that it was important to be clear about the value Scotland could add in any work to contribute to international peace and reconciliation and to focus on aspirational outcomes as well as potential mechanisms for delivery;
(d) Noted that it was important to highlight the link between peace and security and to be clear that work to promote peace and reconciliation contributed to the wider goal of international security;
(e) Noted that there was potential to work with other countries and sub-nation states to support peace and reconciliation and promote disarmament;
(f) Noted that no work had taken place to identify or "map" of all those in Scotland involved in peace and reconciliation;
(g) Noted that it would be important to consider what role Government might play in promoting peace and reconciliation and what might be carried out more effectively by NGOs and civil society;
(h) Agreed that Isobel be asked to coordinate the production of a short paper setting out an analysis of the perceived gaps/opportunities, potential challenges to be encountered and Scotland's comparative advantages in regard to work in the arena of peace, reconciliation and security; (Action: Isobel Lindsay; all to contribute)
(i) Agreed that this area of work had implications for the Europe, External Affairs and Culture portfolio and that the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture should be invited to attend the next meeting of the Working Group, should this be possible. (Action: Minister for Parliamentary Business; Secretariat)
Update on Theme 3: Non-Proliferation Treaty
6.Rebecca Johnson provided an update on work she had taken forward to explore the possibility of the Scottish Government taking up observer status at future meetings of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Group noted work undertaken.
Update on Theme 4: The Regulatory Framework
7. Richard Dixon and Alan Mackinnon provided an update on work taken forward to date to assess the adequacy of the existing regulatory framework.
8. The Group:
(a) Noted that letters were to be sent to emergency planning officers within all Scottish local authorities through which nuclear weapons were transported, and to all organisations with an environmental or broader interest in the regulation of nuclear weapons, seeking submissions on the adequacy of the existing regulatory framework and that these letters would be placed on the Working Group website;
(b) Noted that a report on the risks associated with Trident had been compiled by CND Scotland and was to be published shortly;
(c) Noted that there was speculation that nuclear facilities at HMS Coulport were to be privatised and that there might be implications for the regulatory framework were this to be the case;
(d) Agreed that submissions received by the subgroup should be placed on the website unless it was clear that they had been received in confidence.
Developing the Format of the Report
9. Cabinet Secretariat introduced a template for the draft report that the Group would aim to produce by April 2009. Drafting comments were to be passed to Cabinet Secretariat. (Action: all).
Group Communique
11. The Group agreed the text of a communique for publication on its website.
Cabinet Secretariat
Scottish Government
September 2008