§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will make a statement on the proposed collaboration between the Central Electricity Generating Board and Electricité de France on the design and development of fast breeder reactors;
(2) what talks he has held with the United States Government on the development of fast breeder reactors; and whether he will make a statement;
(3) what talks he has held with the Japanese Government on the development of fast breeder reactors; and whether he will make a statement;
(4) what is the estimated cost of the 15 per cent. share which the United Kingdom now proposes to take in the next French commercial demonstration fast reactor, Super Phenix 2; and over what period he expects this cost to be incurred;
553W(5) what facilities will be offered by the Dounreay establishment to the pooling of design and development efforts on the fast breeder reactor by the Central Electricity Generating Board and Electricité de France.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerHer Majesty's Government and the industry have held extensive discussions about fast reactor development in recent years with other European countries, with Japan and with the United States of America.
In November 1982 the Government asked the chairman of the UKAEA, Sir Peter Hirsch, in consultation with the nuclear industry, to draw up a revised development programme for fast reactors, taking account of the potential for collaboration with other countries. His advice was that we would obtain the maximum benefit by pooling our efforts with our European partners. In the light of this advice, and following a period of negotiation, I signed a memorandum of understanding with France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy and Belgium on 10 January this year. Details of this were set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) on 16 January, at c. 47–48. The memorandum specifically recognises the achievements of the Unites States of America and Japan in the field of fast reactors and records the participants' interest in the future extension of their co-operation to associate one or both of these countries.
The intergovernmental memorandum provides for the industry progressively to set up its own general and specific implementing agreements covering various aspects of the collaboration including co-operation between utilities. The agreement signed by the Central Electricity Generating Board with the Electricité de France on 7 February is one such general agreement. It sets out the principles for long term co-operation between the two utilities on fast reactors with provision for specific agreements. While in its present form the agreement is bilateral, it provides for the possibility of participation by other European utilities. The specific agreements will be subject to approval by the respective Governments. Any proposal from the CEGB for investment in the construction of a fast reactor (including investment in Super Phenix 2) would also be subject to United Kingdom Government financial approval in the normal way. The Government have not yet received any specific proposal.
It is intended that the agreements envisaged in the intergovernmental memorandum of understanding will provide for the UKAEA fast reactor work, including work at Dounreay, to be fully integrated within the European programme. Details are still under discussion.