§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on(a) the siting and (b) cost sharing of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. [174579]
§ Mr. TimmsThe international partners are trying to reach a compromise on the two proposed locations for ITER that will be acceptable to the whole ITER partnership. Currently the €4.5 billion budget for the construction of the ITER facility is to be shared as follows:
Percentage € Europe or Japan as host 48 2.2 billion Europe or Japan as non-host 12 540 million US 10 450 million China 10 450 million Russia 10 450 million South Korea 10 450 million This is likely to change if more countries join the ITER partnership.
§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what level of fusion research funding she will make available after the decision on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor has been taken; and if she will make a statement. [174580]
§ Mr. TimmsFunding for the UK's national fusion programme is determined by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, which took over this function in April 2003. It is currently in the region of £16 million per year. Europe's participation in ITER will be funded through the Framework Programme.