HC Deb 25 July 1967 vol 751 cc99-100W
Mr. Gregory

asked the Minister of Technology what developments there have been concerning the future of the Dragon experiment.

Mr. Benn

To avoid its premature shutdown, Her Majesty's Government have now offered to bear most of the cost of the Dragon project for the year 1968. This offer has been made in the hope that the other major contributor, Euratom, will be in a position by mid-1968 to agree to the extension of the project to 31st March, 1970, in which case there would be a retrospective and equitable adjustment of payments.

Alternatively, the Dragon as an international project would end in December, 1968 without any terminal liability on Her Majesty's Government.

Our offer will shortly be considered at a meeting convened by the European Nuclear Energy Agency, under whose auspices the Dragon project was established.

We believe that the continued operation of the Dragon reactor should yield fuel irradiation experience of great value to the European countries participating.