HL Deb 06 February 1995 vol 561 cc8-9

2.59 p.m.

Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, consequential to the seizure of 350 grammes of plutonium by the German police in August 1994, they will support the creation of an international agency to collect, store, manage and safeguard the world's surplus of plutonium and whether they will send a representative to the seminar on plutonium smuggling to be held in the House of Commons on 14th February.

Lord Inglewood

My Lords, incidents of smuggling involving nuclear materials are of course a matter of great concern. We believe that the priority must be to help to improve the practical implementation of nuclear materials accountancy and physical security in those countries from which the material may be coming. We have been working in a number of international fora to achieve that. We believe that that approach is more likely to succeed than starting negotiations on a new agency. Foreign Office officials will attend the seminar on 14th February.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, I am glad to hear the last part of the noble Lord's Answer. In the meantime, can he say whether the Government have considered or will consider the possibility of resourcing and financing sufficiently the International Atomic Energy Agency so that it may be able to fulfil that additional function which I believe we all agree is of extreme importance and urgency?

Lord Inglewood

My Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord Jenkins of Putney, said, this is a matter of great concern. However, we believe that it is important that we address it in a manner which will reap rewards. As I hope I made clear in my earlier Answer, we are not satisfied that the right way to deal with this particular problem is to set up a new agency. We believe that the right way to approach it is along the present lines, using the system of safeguards devised by the IAEA.

Baroness Blackstone

My Lords, does the Minister's Answer to my noble friend's earlier Question mean that the Government are now in favour of greater transparency about the level of plutonium stocks held in various countries, including their own? If that is the case, can the Minister tell the House what steps are being taken to pursue that goal of greater transparency?

Lord Inglewood

My Lords, as the noble Baroness may know, the UK is chairing a group in the wings of the IAEA in Vienna of plutonium-producing nations with a view to endeavouring to establish whether greater transparency can be introduced. As yet, we have not managed to achieve any agreement or consensus.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, perhaps the noble Lord did not register the fact that we are agreed that the existing body provides one means of tackling the problem. We are at least agreed on that point. However, does he further agree that in order to tackle the problem, the agency will have to be more satisfactorily financed and resourced? Does he support that view?

Lord Inglewood

My Lords, it is essential that the agency is satisfactorily financed and resourced. Obviously, the extent of the resources required depends on what the agency is to do.