HC Deb 04 May 1976 vol 910 cc297-9W
Mr. Dodsworth

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what plans he has to meet the Soviet nuclear mission currently in the United Kingdom;

(2) which officials of nuclear establishments the Soviet nuclear missions, currently in the United Kingdom, are expected to meet; and what their discussions are to be about;

(3) whether any officials of his Department or the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority are expected to meet the Soviet nuclear mission, currently in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement:

(4) how long the Soviet nuclear mission, currently in the United Kingdom, is expected to stay;

(5) if he will list the members of the Soviet nuclear mission currently in the United Kingrom together with their positions;

(6) which nuclear establishments the Soviet nuclear mission currently in the United Kingdom is expected to visit.

Mr. Benn

There are long-standing links between the United Kingdom and the USSR in the nuclear field, deriving from the agreement concluded in 1961, during the premiership of Mr. Harold Macmillan, between the UKAEA and the State Committee for Utilisation of Atomic Energy which provided for cooperation in areas of mutual interest in nuclear research. More recently, under the aegis of the Anglo-Soviet Joint Commission for Co-operation in the Fields of Applied Science, Technology, Trade and Economic Relations, there has been growing interest in the scope for economic and technological co-operation on nuclear power. Delegations have been exchanged to explore the possibilities, particularly in the light of the similarities between our SGHWR and the Soviet RBMK—graphite-moderated, pressure tube reactor—of which two 1000-MW examples are already in operation.

A British Nuclear Forum mission visited the Soviet Union from 26th October to 5th November 1975. The return mission, invited by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade, in his capacity as joint Chairman of the Anglo-Soviet Joint Commission, will be in the United Kingdom from 25th April to 6th May. Its membership is as follows: V. P. Lobanov, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Power Engineering (Leader of Delegation). I. G. Morozov, Deputy Chairman, State Committee for the Utilisation of Atomic Energy. V. M. Abromov, Ministry of Power Engineering. A. N. Grigoryants, Chief, Department of Atomic Power Station Maintenance, Ministry of Power and Electrification. V. S. Konviz, Deputy Chief, Hydroproekt Institute, Ministry of Power and Electrification. F. V. Ovseyenko, State Committee for Science and Technology. A. S. Postovalov, Vice-President, Atomenergoexport. M. M. Timofeyev, Director, Research Institute for Power Machinery, Ministry of Power Engineering.

The visit has been organised by the Nuclear Power Company on behalf of the British Nuclear Forum. The itinerary takes into account the mutual interests of both sides and includes visits to member firms of the British Nuclear Forum manufacturing equipment for nuclear and conventional power stations, as well as UKAEA sites at Risley, Winfrith and Dounreay. During the course of the visit the Russians will be meeting the Chairman of the UKAEA and senior industrialists. Together with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie), and officials of my Department, I met Mr. Lobanov on 26th April.