§ 47. Mr. Warbeyasked the Paymaster-General, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what steps he is taking to associate the United Kingdom with the countries participating in the European Atomic Agency in a joint programme for the construction of prototype nuclear reactors of varied types.
§ Mr. Aubrey JonesI have been asked to reply. The United Kingdom has for the last year taken part in discussions with other Western European countries in the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation on the construction as joint projects of various types of experimental reactors. The United Kingdom has declared its readiness to consider participating on one of the reactor systems on which the United Kingdom is not already concentrating a major effort in its own development programme. We should also be ready to consider siting such a reactor in the United Kingdom, if the other participating countries wished.
§ Mr. WarbeyIs the Minister aware that it is reported that the Euratom countries are ready to go ahead very fast with a programme for constructing various types of prototype reactors, and that this may give them substantial advantages in the years to come? Is there any way in which this country can be associated with them without becoming a full member of Euratom?
§ Mr. JonesI can only repeat that, without having become full members of Euratom, we have put forward concrete proposals for co-operation.