§ Mr. Cook asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the proportion of plutonium 239 normally contained in the plutonium extracted from Magnox spent fuel.
§ Mr. John Moore:The average proportion of plutonium 239 in the plutonium currently extracted from magnox spent fuel is of the order of 70 to 75 per cent.
Mr. Cook asked the Secretary of State for Energy, how much Magnox spent fuel is currently awaiting reprocessing; and approximately how much plutonium is due to be extracted from it.
§ Mr. John Moore:The current unreprocessed irradiated civil Magnox fuel stock in the United Kingdom is approximately 2 million kilograms U which contains approximately 4,500 kilograms of plutonium—or isotopes.
Mr. Cook asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions have taken place on the possibility of the United Kingdom supplying the United States of America with plutonium for its fast reactor programme; what is the amount of plutonium for civil purposes previously exported to the United States of America; what are the amounts currently being discussed; whether any assurances are being sought to ensure that any plutonium exported will not be used for military purposes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John Moore:I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Mr. Mudd) on 19 October and the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Allaun) on 26 October. The quantity of United Kingdom origin civil material exported to the United States of America since 1971 totals approximately 50 kgs of plutonium. This material was subject to the relevant bilateral safeguards agreements.
Mr. Cook asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, further to his reply of 3 March 1980, Official Report, c. 10, giving the yield of plutonium in tonnes per year from various types of nuclear power stations, he will clarify whether the figures given relate to 1,000 Mw gross or net electrical capacity.
§ Mr. John Moore:The figures given in the previous answer were based on an annual average availability of between 74 per cent. and 75 per cent. for a station with an installed capacity of 1,000 Mw—gross.
Mr. Cook asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central on 24 July, Official Report, c. 256, any Magnox station has been altered or programmed for military purposes for reasons other than to increase plutonium production; and, if so, which.
§ Mr. John Moore:The reactors at Chapelcross are used to produce tritium for military purposes.