§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 22 February 1999,Official Report, column 97, on plutonium shipments to Japan, when he expects the contracts for MOX shipments by BNFL to be signed; and what role his Department will play in the negotiations. [74972]
§ Mr. BattleThe timing and terms of contracts for the shipment of nuclear materials are linked to the operational and commercial requirements of customers and are matters for the companies concerned to agree. These are not matters in which the Government is directly involved.