HL Deb 16 February 1993 vol 542 cc985-7

2.45 p.m.

Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:

What has been their response to the offer of the International Atomic Energy Agency to arrange the storage or disposal of plutonium and to place it under international supervision.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Baroness Denton of Wakefield)

My Lords, the International Atomic Energy Agency has made no recent proposal to arrange facilities for the storage or disposal of plutonium.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, I am aware of that. However, is the noble Baroness aware of the speech made in Japan last year by the deputy director general of the agency? If she has not made herself aware of it, will she do so? British Nuclear Fuels has demonstrated once again that it is completely untrustworthy. Will she read Mr. Dircks's speech, to which I referred, and write to me when she has done so?

Baroness Denton of Wakefield

My Lords, I am well aware that in December last year there was an informal exchange of views between representatives of the UK and other countries involved with plutonium use. The adequacy of existing safeguard arrangements was not called into question. However, we should of course be willing to consider any proposals from Vienna for which a consensus emerged.

Lord Zuckerman

My Lords, has it not always been part of the statute of the IAEA safely to store and distribute nuclear materials including plutonium? Is it not true that the lecture given by the deputy director general last year was not a formal request? Was there any reason why he should have made the observation in the address to which the noble Lord referred?

Baroness Denton of Wakefield

My Lords, the noble Lord points out accurately that it was a personal statement. Discussions were taking place informally. Of course, the storage of civil plutonium in the European Community and Japan is held under international safeguards.

Lord Donoughue

My Lords, does the Minister agree that there is a serious and genuine problem with the storage of plutonium due to the glut? There are enormous unwanted supplies in Europe. More are coming from the ex-Communist empire. The chairman of Nuclear Electric stated recently that the UK has supplies for 100 years. Have the Government any proposals to assist internationally in dealing with the storage problem? As a related question, when do they expect the report from the pollution inspectorate on radioactive releases with regard to THORP?

Baroness Denton of Wakefield

My Lords, I point out to the noble Lord that the safety has to be impeccable whether it is for one tonne or 35 tonnes. Once we store plutonium, we store it safely. The report from Her Majesty's inspectorate is a matter for my noble friend at the Department of the Environment. But we are delighted that the issue has been examined. The report will come in due course. Of course we are working and are prepared to work with Russian authorities on the subject of their storage.

The Earl of Halsbury

My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that the safest place to store plutonium is a fast breeder reactor, and that the sooner we get on with the matter the better?

Baroness Denton of Wakefield

My Lords, the noble Earl has put forward his opinion very forcefully. I can assure him that the issue has not been abandoned.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that the fast breeder reactor is a total flop and will never come to fruition? Is she further aware that a serious problem exists? While I recognise, as she does, that it is difficult to achieve international consensus, in particular when commercial considerations are involved, someone at some stage has to take an initiative; otherwise the problem will be on top of us. She will be as aware as I am of the seriousness of that situation.

Baroness Denton of Wakefield

My Lords, I do not doubt the noble Lord's personal concern about these matters. However, he expresses a personal view on the future of the fast breeder reactor. We have a validated design which, when it becomes economically viable, will be available to be deployed. As regards plutonium, it can be used to generate electricity in ordinary as well as fast reactors. I would also point out that the noble Lord's views are not those of his colleagues on the Front Bench in another place.

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, does my noble friend accept that the name "fast breeder reactor" is a misnomer? Such a machine can be designed to be a fast consumer reactor.

Baroness Denton of Wakefield

My Lords, I was concerned with the question on storage. I am sure that we can look at fast reactors on another occasion.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that the personal views of my right honourable friend Dr. Cunningham have had reason recently to move sharply in the direction of my views?

Baroness Denton of Wakefield

My Lords, I do not wish to become an expert on the politics of noble Lords opposite. I should point out that I was referring to the shadow spokesman for energy.