HC Deb 13 February 2004 vol 418 c49W
Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the latest version of the Mutual Defence Agreement on Atomic Energy Matters, as amended in 1994. [155864]

Mr. Hoon

Copies of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement with the United States and its subsequent amendments are already in the Library of the House.

Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the United Kingdom(a) is involved and (b) plans to be involved, under the US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement on Atomic Energy matters, in the Hafnium-178 research at the US Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland in New Mexico; and what research Atomic Weapons Establishment is conducting into military uses of Hafnium-178. [155884]

Mr. Hoon

The United Kingdom is not involved with Hafnium-178 research in the United States under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement, and has no current plans to become involved. There is no current research programme into the military uses of Hafnium-178 at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.