§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent export contracts have been awarded to British Nuclear Fuels plc; and what permissions have been sought by British Nuclear Fuels plc under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 to carry out exports.
§ Mr. BaldryWithin the past two years, British Nuclear Fuels plc has been awarded export contracts amounting to some £80 million for providing a variety of nuclear services including uranium processing and enrichment, design and engineering work, and transport of spent fuel. Following the increase in capacity available to overseas customers for the first 10 years of reprocessing in its thermal oxide reprocessing plant (THORP), the company has also secured orders for over 80 per cent. of this additional capacity. Of these exports only those which involve the disposal of fissile material require approval by the Secretary of State for Energy under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965.
All exports of nuclear materials, equipment and technology are made within the guidelines set out in the statement by the then Foreign Secretary, James Callaghan, on 31 March 1976 at columns 514–16.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether there have been any changes in the arrangements for operating the return to sender options in contracts for reprocessing nuclear fuel from overseas as set out in his answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell),Official Report, 2 May 1986, column 500.
§ Mr. BaldryThere have been no changes to the arrangements mentioned by the hon. Member.