§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the conclusions reached by the European Commission in its report on nuclear industries in the European Union (COM/96) 339, 25 September 1996, paragraph 6, page 23, in respect of the presence of plutonium in the civilian nuclear fuel cycle. [2126]
§ Mr. PageThe Government agree that there are many considerations which determine fuel choice in the civil nuclear sector. It is a matter for the owners of the plutonium to decide how it is utilised. Mixed oxide fuel incorporating plutonium oxide is one option, subject to meeting the appropriate regulatory requirements including those in respect of safeguards.