§ 1. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Energy to which countries plutonium is exported from Great Britain; and if he is satisfied that such export is essential to our nuclear energy industry.
§ The Secretary of State for Energy (Mr. Anthony Wedgwood Benn)Plutonium exports are not separately designated in the overseas trade statistics of the United Kingdom, but are subject to licensing control and international safeguards. I am satisfied with these arrangements and with the purposes for which these exports are undertaken.
§ Mr. AllaunDoes the Secretary of State agree that the spread of nuclear weapons is one of the gravest dangers facing mankind? Have not Japan—one of the recipients—and certain other countries failed to ratify the non-proliferation agreement?
Is it really essential to export plutonium? The official spokesman of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. told us at the House of Commons meeting in December that it was not absolutely essential.
§ Mr. BennI agree very strongly with what my hon. Friend said about the risk of the spread of nuclear weapons. It is, of course, an argument that can be used both ways, in that it may help to justify—I do not regard this as an overwhelming argument—the maintenance of procedures of nuclear processing in this country. I am aware of the risk, and I share my hon. Friend's view. However, it is not for me but for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to comment on the non-proliferation treaty. But certainly my hon. Friend will recognise that the very strict safeguards and inspection that we maintain have as one of their objects the entrenchment of our policy about the spread of nuclear technology for possible military uses.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinDoes the right hon. Gentleman accept that we face a choice in dealing with foreign countries in the reprocessing of irradiated fuel, in 3 that we could either license them to undertake the process themselves or we could do the work here, at Windscale? Does he not agree that, on balance, the latter is likely to be the preferable course? When will he announce his decision on the Japanese reprocessing contract?
§ Mr. BennI agree with the right hon. Gentleman; we do face a choice. In the nuclear field there is now, fortunately, more public interest in the choices that have to be made. I am certainly anxious to make public the nature of these choices, so that people can contribute to the debate. I cannot say when a decision will be announced on the reprocessing contract for Japan, but I have made arrangements for an open presentation this week in London by BNFL, to which the critics of the nuclear policy—trade unions and others—will be invited to make their contributions, and I hope that this will help to open up the nature of the choices that we have to make.