§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what provision there is for review of the permission for the export of plutonium to Japan during the period of the proposed contract, should Japan decide that its proposed fast breeder reactor programme has no commercial future;
(2) if he has made an independent assessment of the quantity of plutonium required by Japan for its fast breeder reactor and MOx fuel programmes to ensure that the conditions for the export of fissile material to a non-nuclear weapons state are adhered to.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerMy Department has not made such an assessment. The return of plutonium from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel at THORP to its country of origin or to any other destination will not take place for several years and will be made only on receipt of assurances covering peaceful use, application of safeguards, physical protection and controls on retransfer in line with the statement by the then Foreign Secretary, now Lord Callaghan, on 31 March 1976, at columns 514–16.