§ 29. Mr. Skeetasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what contacts at present exist between his Department and the European Nuclear Energy Agency; and what are the prospects for the development of further joint projects.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethThe United Kingdom representative on the Steering Committee for Nuclear Energy of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is the head of my noble Friend's Office. The Atomic Energy Authority is participating in two of the three joint projects set up under the European Nuclear Energy Agency. Proposals for three new joint projects are now being studied but it is not possible to say what the outcome will be.
§ Mr. SkeetWould not my hon. Friend consider the European Agency, the International Agency and Euratom to overlap substantially, and is it profitable to belong to all three? Would my hon. Friend also give us some idea about our financial commitments to the European agency?
§ Mr. FreethI think that it is useful to belong to all three. Both the European Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Agency cover different groups of countries and do not have the same aims. As for the last part of the supplementary question, if my hon. Friend would agree to putting down a detailed Question I would give him any figures at my disposal.