The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is responsible for implementing the nuclear and radiological elements of the Global Threat Reduction Programme (GTRP).
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) manages the chemical weapon destruction and biological elements of the Programme.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) hold the overall policy responsibility.
This webpage is the focal point for the Global Threat Reduction Programme. If you need any more information on this subject, or want to give us feedback, please see our Contacts page.
International terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction pose sustained threats to global security. The UK continues to place the utmost importance on supporting multilateral efforts to address these threats.
The UK Global Threat Reduction Programme forms an important element of the UK's counter-proliferation strategy.
It delivers our contribution to the Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, a $20 billion ten-year programme agreed at the G8 Summit at Kananaskis, Canada in 2002 with an initial focus on the nuclear and chemical weapons legacies of the former Soviet Union.
At Kananaskis, the UK committed up to $750 million to the Global Partnership.
The UK has a mature portfolio of programmes aimed at:
- improving the security of fissile materials;
- reducing the number of sites containing nuclear and radiological material;
- contributing to the destruction of chemical weapons stocks;
- and providing sustainable employment for former weapon scientists whose expertise could otherwise be misused.
To date, the Global Threat Reduction Programme has made contributions to reducing vulnerabilities and improving security and safety in 18 beneficiary countries.