Nuclear weapons
Section 47 Use etc. of nuclear weapons
121.This section makes it an offence to knowingly cause a nuclear weapon explosion, develop, produce, transfer, possess or engage in military preparations to use or threaten to use a nuclear weapon. In this section “nuclear weapon” is taken to include nuclear explosive devices not intended for use as a weapon.
122.Subsection (6) makes the offences apply to acts outside the United Kingdom by a United Kingdom person.
123.Subsection (8) provides for the offence of knowingly causing a nuclear weapon explosion to cease to have effect under this Act on the coming into force of the Nuclear Explosions (Prohibitions and Inspections) Act 1998. That Act will come into force following the entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and includes a similar offence.
Section 48 Exceptions
124.This section makes exceptions for actions carried out in the course of an armed conflict or for actions authorised by the Secretary of State.
Section 49 Defences
125.This section sets out defences for lack of knowledge that a thing was a nuclear weapon or for an attempt to inform the authorities as soon as practicable after discovering that an object was a nuclear weapon.