HC Deb 26 July 1985 vol 83 cc807-8W
Mr. Ashdown

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if the United Kingdom has used its prerogative under Article 14 of the United Kingdom-International Atomic Energy Agency-Euratom Agreement, Cmnd. 6730, March 1977, to withdraw safeguarded plutonium from safeguard, for defence purposes.

Mr. Goodlad

Plutonium has been withdrawn from safeguards under this article. The material in question did not come from civil reactors.

Mr. Ashdown

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to inform Parliament as well as the International Atomic Energy Agency and Euratom whenever safeguarded material is withdrawn for defence purposes.

Mr. Goodlad

If safeguarded material is withdrawn from safeguards both Euratom and the IAEA are informed in accordance with the terms of United Kingdom safeguards agreements. The details are supplied to these organisations on a strictly confidential basis. They are not published and it would not be in the public interest to publish them.

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