HC Deb 19 April 1961 vol 638 cc100-1W
53. Mr. Harold Davies

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many shares Spain has taken in the Eurochemic Company, an agency of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, which is to treat irradiated fuel chemically to produce plutonium; and whether Great Britain, as a member of the Organisation, agreed to Spain's entry into this company.

Mr. Heath

The Nuclear Energy Commission of Madrid, which is the official body in charge of atomic energy development in Spain, was allotted thirty shares in the Eurochemic Company on 28th July, 1959, by a decision of the General Assembly of the Company, which is composed of all the shareholders. Her Majesty's Government have no shares in this Company and cannot say what changes in shareholding have taken place since then.

The Convention on the Constitution of Eurochemic provides that any member or associate member of the organisation for European Economic Co-operation may accede to it by notification to the Secretary-General, provided that it becomes a party to the Convention on the Establishment of a Security Control in the Field of Nuclear Energy. Spain has been a full member of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation since the 20th of July, 1959, and has signed the Security Control Convention.