§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Defence if the uranium enrichment plant at Capenhurst supplies Nuclebras in Brazil with low enriched uranium.
§ Mr. John MooreI have been asked to reply.
In answering this and the following questions from the hon. Member I am referring to the centrifuge enrichment plant operated by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. at Capenhurst on behalf of URENCO Ltd. The plants servicing URENCO Ltd. are quite separate from the defence plant referred to in the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on Tuesday 21 December.—[c. 409 and 410.]
URENCO Ltd. has contracted to sell enrichment services to Nuclebras of Brazil and Capenhurst is currently supplying low enriched uranium to Nucleas as part of its delivery obligations to URENCO Ltd.
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Defence if the uranium enrichment plant at Capenhurst is working at full capacity.
§ Mr. John MooreI have been asked to reply.
Yes. The plant is brought on stream in sections as required, and the existing plant is therefore working at full capacity.
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Defence what tonnage of enriched uranium goes from Capenhurst to (a) Germany, (b) the Netherlands and (c) United Kingdom installations.
§ Mr. John MooreI have been asked to reply.
The allocation to customers of low enriched uranium from Capenhurst is determined by URENCO Ltd. in accordance with customers' requirements. URENCO Ltd.'s present total order book will lead to one-third deliveries going to United Kingdom customers, one-third to customers in the Federal Republic of Germany and one-third to other customers, including the Netherlands.
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the means of transport by which enriched uranium is taken to Holland and Germany.
§ Mr. John MooreI have been asked to reply.
The material is transported in containers designed to internationally approved standards, which are moved by road and sea transport under carefully controlled conditions approved by the Department of Transport.
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§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the security and safety measures taken by the companies and the emergency services en route for any radioactive products leaving Capenhurst.
§ Mr. John MooreI have been asked to reply.
Yes.
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the uranium enriched plant at Capenhurst is actively seeking export orders.
§ Mr. John MooreI have been asked to reply.
URENCO Ltd. is actively seeking export orders from the operators of civil nuclear power stations. The Capenhurst plant will undertake the enrichment work allocated to it by URENCO Ltd. Overseas contracts are subject to the approval of the Governments of the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Netherlands.
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the uranium enrichment plant at Capenhurst is currently supplying the United States of America with medium enriched uranium.
§ Mr. John MooreI have been asked to reply.
No. The existing civil enrichment plant at Capenhurst produces low enriched uranium only. The product is marketed through URENCO Ltd. which currently has no contracts with the United States of America.