§ 2.43 p.m.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy 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 any uranium oxide has been imported into the United Kingdom directly or indirectly from Namibia during the last five years.
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, over the calendar years 1983 and 1984 the CEGB, on behalf of the British Civil Uranium Procurement Directorate (which is responsible for meeting the uranium requirements of the UK's civil nuclear programme) imported some 1,300 tonnes of uranium from the Rossing mine in Namibia. This contract ended in 1984, and since that time the CEGB has not imported any uranium of Namibian origin.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, is it the case that the contract about which the noble Viscount has spoken was in direct breach of United Nations decree? Is it not further the case that since 1984 a previous contract has been activated and 1,100 tonnes of uranium oxide have been imported from the Rossing mine in Namibia?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, no; that is not the case.
The Earl of HalsburyMy Lords, given the fact that we are domestically in need of uranium, does it matter that it was mined in Namibia, Canada, Australia or South Africa, or, to quote a crack from the late George Robey, "Woolwich, Norwich and all them other places on the Southern Railway"?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, I travel on the southern railway, and I have not noticed any uranium mines. The CEGB is currently receiving uranium from both the United States and Canada, and, in addition, it has recently entered into a contract to take supplies from Australia from 1989.
§ Lord Stoddart of SwindonMy Lords, in those circumstances, and bearing in mind that there are adequate supplies of uranium from Australia and Canada—both civil and weapons grade—can the noble Viscount assure the House that we shall not import further supplies from Namibia in defiance of the United Nations ban on such imported uranium?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, I can confirm that the contract ended in 1984. Since that time, the CEGB has not imported any uranium of Namibian origin and does not propose to do so.
§ Lord Stoddart of SwindonMy Lords, I asked whether the noble Viscount could give an assurance that we would not do so in the future. Can he give that assurance?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, I have just said so.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, the noble Viscount has not answered my first supplementary question. Is it the case that the contract which he admits was carried out was in direct breach of the United Nations decree? Further, is it not the case that British Nuclear Fuels Limited has a thriving business in the import and export of uranium, much of which comes from Namibia through third world countries? Is the noble Viscount aware of that? When he states that the CEGB will not import any further uranium from Namibia, does that cover every form of import of uranium into this country, either directly or indirectly from Namibia?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, British Nuclear Fuels Limited processes uranium on behalf of overseas customers for subsequent re-export. The origin of that ore is a matter for BNFL's customers.
§ Lord GisboroughMy Lords, if European countries do not buy from Namibia, does the noble Viscount consider that there is a danger that Namibia may look for customers in countries to which we would rather the uranium did not go?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, I think that is a strong possibility.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, the noble Viscount has still not answered my supplementary question. Does he admit that it was in direct breach of the United Nations decree that uranium from Namibia was imported into this country? If it is still being imported, that is still in direct breach of the United Nations decree. Is the noble Viscount's answer yes or no?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Hatch, always seems to know the answers to the Questions he tables. However, usually they are not the right answers, as on this occasion.