HL Deb 25 November 1987 vol 490 cc596-8

2.45 p.m.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware of the Channel 4 programme "Dispatches", of Friday 30th October at 20.15, in which the alleged existence of a black market in weapons-grade plutonium and enriched uranium was illustrated by reference to their alleged possession by Israel, Iran and Iraq, and whether they propose to take action to combat these dangers.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Glenarthur)

My Lords, we are aware of the programme, but we have no evidence to support allegations in it of a black market in weapons grade plutonium or enriched uranium. We have full confidence in the present system of controls on such material. There is a long history of hoaxes in this field.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that reply. Is he aware that his confidence may be misplaced? The information contained in the programme was of a factual nature and it seems likely that there is a large quantity of plutonium and enriched uranium floating around the world today, some of which comes from Sellafield or Dounreay. Is the Minister not aware that once a quantity of this material falls into the hands of Iran, Iraq or Israel, as has been asserted already to have taken place, the situation could be serious because it is only one stage from that to the hands of terrorists?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, I can assure the noble Lord that we are by no means complacent. Great efforts in collaboration with others are made to control the export of sensitive nuclear materials, and we keep a close eye on any attempts to circumvent those controls.

Lord Mayhew

My Lords, will the noble Lord give an assurance that no plutonium or enriched uranium of British manufacture is missing?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, I can give that assurance in so far as it is possible to account for anything other than the tiniest amounts of such material. British Nuclear Fuels Limited and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority produce an annual balance sheet of material which is unaccounted for. The 1985–86 figures were published in November 1986, and they show no adverse trends and gave rise to no concern over either the safety or the security of United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and British Nuclear Fuels Limited plant.

Lord Irving of Dartford

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that if the ownership of nuclear weapons goes much further, as it will if the programme was accurate, that will go a long way to invalidating the agreement which is about to be signed between Russia and America? Secondly, is the Minister aware that Admiral Turner—who has been a friend to this country and whom some remember as Commander of the Sixth Fleet and later Director of the CIA—said in the programme that during his time as director he was aware of the black market and that one of the inspectors of the atomic authority is also aware that what has been said by the authority is not correct? Will the noble Lord look into the matter more thoroughly?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, the International Atomic Agency reported in July that in 1986, as in previous years. the secretariat did not detect any anomaly over safeguarded nuclear material that caused it concern. Naturally, this area requires continual refinement in order to ensure that things cannot go wrong, but I firmly believe that the safeguards at present in train are adequate.

Lord Mayhew

My Lords, while the Minister's reply to my question was reassuring, can he say how much of such material of British manufacture is missing in total?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, included in the 1986–1987 figures there are two instances in which specific items of material could not be accounted for. At Sellafield one piece of a broken fuel pin was missing when its container was opened. A subsequent inquiry concluded that it had probably been included with active stainless steel waste. The inquiry could not believe that it was outside the shielded facility at the Sellafield site. In a shipment of high enriched uranium coupons (18 grammes per coupon) from Winfrith to Dounreay, it was found that one can contained 149 coupons instead of a listed 150. An inquiry concluded that the weight of the evidence indicated that the missing coupon had been loaded into another can and therefore no loss had occurred.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the amount of processing now going on and the amount of plutonium that is passing around the world as a result of reprocessing in this country and elsewhere means that the situation is sufficiently grave to merit very close examination? If these reports are true—and many of them seem to be very factual—the consequences will be very great, almost unbelievable.

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, of course it is a serious matter. But, as I said, we believe that the safeguards that we have and at which we continually look are adequate.

Lord Mellish

My Lords, can the House have an assurance that there is no such black market in Putney?