§ 33. Mr. Woodburnasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is satisfied with the extent of British agreements with the Japanese Government for co-operation in the field of nuclear experiments and the exchange of nuclear experts; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. P. ThomasYes, Sir. Her Majesty's Government signed an agreement for co-operation in the peaceful uses of atomic energy with Japan on the 16th of June, 1958. Under this agreement, there has since been a considerable traffic in ideas and materials. We have supplied research quantities of nuclear materials to the Japanese, and in the past four years nearly 30 Japanese scientists and engineers have been on attachment to Calder Hall. Many more have paid brief visits to Harwell. British nuclear experts have also paid numerous exchange visits to Japan, and collaboration generally has been most satisfactory. The first Japanese nuclear power station is of course being supplied by a British consortium.
§ Mr. WoodburnWhile thanking the hon. Gentleman for that reply and also welcoming co-operation in the extension of nuclear power for peaceful purposes, may I ask whether he is aware that there has been a report that, in the words of the report,
Large numbers of Japanese nuclear bomb scientists are co-operating and working in China"?May I ask whether this has any connection with our agreement and whether the hon. Gentleman can stipulate as far 623 as possible that our information will not be used for the proliferation of nuclear bombs in other countries?
§ Mr. ThomasThe right hon. Gentleman was good enough to let me know before Question Time that he was raising this matter. I had inquiries made and we know nothing about these matters. I will look into it, and I should be grateful if the right hon. Gentleman could let me see the report to which he referred.