HC Deb 03 April 1984 vol 57 cc435-6W
Mr. Strang

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what guarantees exist to ensure that the United Kingdom's collaboration with France on fast reactor development will not in any way aid the French nuclear weapons programme.

Mr. Giles Shaw

Clause 5 of the inter-governmental memorandum of understanding on European fast reactor collaboration, copies of which have been placed in the Library, explicitly states that the collaboration is directed to the peaceful development of nuclear energy. The Government will be making the supply of United Kingdom equipment and materials to France for the purpose of the collaboration conditional on receipt of assurances from the French Government that such equipment and materials will be used only for peaceful purposes.