§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the arrangements for the disposal of plutonium from spent nuclear fuel imported from Japan; and if there are similar arrangements for all countries which have agreed to send spent nuclear fuel to the United Kingdom for reprocessing.
§ Mr. GoodladI refer the Hon. Member to my reply of 1 April, at column 465. Plutonium from spent fuel reprocessed in the United Kingdom is returned to its country of origin or to any other destination only on receipt of assurances covering peaceful use, application of safeguards, physical protection and controls on retransfer.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Energy if the United Kingdom agreement with France on joint development of reprocessing facilities contains any safeguards to ensure that the plutonium produced is not used for military purposes.
§ Mr. GoodladIn January 1984 the United Kingdom concluded with France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy and Belgium, an inter-governmental memorandum of understanding on co-operation in the field of fast reactors. Clause 5 explicitly states that the collaboration is directed to the peaceful development of nuclear energy.
Within this framework, the UKAEA and BNFL and their French counterparts (the CEA and COGEMA) signed, in March 1984, a memorandum of understanding setting out the general principles of co-operation in the field of fast reactor fuel reprocessing, but no agreement has been concluded relating to any specific project for the joint development of associated reprocessing facilities.