§ Mr. Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish the text of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material; whether it is the Government's intention to ratify the convention; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Norman LamontCmnd. 8112, copies of which have today been placed in the Library of the House, contains the text of the convention, which was prepared under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency and opened for signature in Vienna and New York on 3 March this year. The convention will come into force 30 days after 21 countries have ratified it.
Under the convention, which applies to civil nuclear material, a signatory will be obliged to:
- (a) take steps to ensure that nuclear material in the course of international transport is protected to specified levels while under its jurisdiction;
- (b) not to export or import such material except on the basis of assurances that it will be so protected during transport outside its jurisdiction;
- (c) to co-operate on request with other parties on the recovery of material should it be stolen;
- (d) take steps to ensure that certain specified offences which are broadly concerned with the unlawful taking, possession and use of such material, including in certain circumstances a threat to commit such offences, is
95 punishable under its own law; to enable the courts to exercise more extensive jurisdiction over such offences; and to provide for the extradition of persons accused or convicted of committing these offences. 26 countries have so far signed the convention, including the United Kingdom, all other members of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). The European Commission has signed on behalf of the Community. One country has ratified so far.
It is the Government's intention to ratify the convention when the necessary legislation to amend our criminal law, to extend the jurisdiction of our courts and to amend our extradition law has been enacted. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department will introduce legislation for this purpose in due course.
With regard to the physical protection standards set out in the convention, these correspond to those described in existing guidance by the IAEA. The United Kingdom has always subscribed to these. The convention's standards have therefore been applied for a number of years to civil nuclear material under United Kingdom jurisdiction.