§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what benefits to the United Kingdom defence programme have accrued as a result of the export of plutonium to the United States of America.
§ Mr. John MooreThe plutonium derived from CEGB and SSEB Magnox power stations that was exported to the United States before 1971 under the United Kingdom-United States defence agreement was, as stated in my reply of 27 July 1982 to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Rost) used in the United States for civil purposes. As explained in the statement by the Prime Minister on 21 April 1964, the United Kingdom obtained in exchange under the barter arrangements a quantity of highly enriched uranium for the United Kingdom defence programme. The export of plutonium has therefore benefited the United Kingdom defence programme. As explained in my reply of 1 April 1982 to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Cook), there have been no subsequent transfers of plutonium derived from the CEGB's and SSEB's power stations to the United States under the United Kingdom-United States defence agreement.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what grade of plutonium has been exported to the United States of America.
§ Mr. John MooreThe quantity and isotopic composition of the plutonium exported to the United States under the barter arrangements between 1959 and 1970 cannot be revealed for national security reasons in view of the relationship of this information to the quantity of highly enriched uranium received by the United Kingdom for defence purposes.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy in what ways the plutonium from the Wylfa Magnox power station has been disposed of.
§ Mr. John MooreThe bulk of the irradiated fuel discharged from Wylfa in the early stages of its operation was co-processed with fuel from other Magnox power stations. Thus, although the early discharges of fuel had relatively low concentrations of the high plutonium isotopes, this plutonium does not now have a separate existence and forms part of the plutonium stocks listed in the reply given to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Cook) on 1 April 1982. Some of the irradiated fuel was used to fulfil in part an export order of plutonium to Japan under international safeguards for its fast reactor research and development programme. The remaining small amount of the irradiated fuel from the early stages of operation remains in the CEGB's dry store at Wylfa. All404W plutonium subsequently produced from Wylfa fuel forms part of the plutonium stocks listed in the reply given to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central on 1 April 1982.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether any plutonium has been exported for civil purposes other than that derived from the Central Electricity Generating Board or the South of Scotland Electricity Board reactors.
§ Mr. John MooreYes. The figure of 1,280 kg in my reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Cook) of 14 May 1981 related to exports of plutonium for civil purposes from all United Kingdom sources. The rounded figure of half a tonne, like all the figures listed in the table of plutonium given in my reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central on 1 April 1982, related specifically to plutonium produced in the Magnox reactors of the CEGB and SSEB, and therefore excluded plutonium produced at Calder Hall and Chapel Cross.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the use of plutonium in the manufacture of californium for medical purposes.
§ Mr. John MooreIn my reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Cook) on 27 July 1982 I said that the United States Government had confirmed to us that a sizeable quantity of the plutonium produced in the generating board's Magnox reactors and consigned to the United States before 1971 under the United Kingdom-United States defence agreement was used to make californium for medical purposes. The United States authorities have explained that based on their operational experience 100 kg of plutonium were required to make 1 g of californium. More than 2 g of californium were produced from the United Kingdom material for medical and other civil uses and the residual plutonium is now held in the form of highly radioactive waste.