HC Deb 01 March 1985 vol 74 cc322-3W
Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, pursuant to the answer, Official Report, columns 355–56, 18 February, he will list (a) the precise dates on which the safeguard proposals to Euratom, covering Sellafield and Springfield mixed civil-military sites were made, (b) the text of the proposals referred to above and (c) any written response Euratom has made to either proposal.

Mr. Goodlad

Proposals for Sellafield and Springfields were put to Euratom on 26 February 1981 and 24 August 1982 respectively; as yet we have received no written response from Euratom to these proposals, but as I stated in my reply of 18 February 1985 to the hon. Member we are engaged in discussions with the Commission.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if, pursuant to the answer on nuclear safeguards, Official Report, 18 February, column 353, he will explain what is meant by routine declarations made about United Kingdom facilities to Euratom;

(2) whether, pursuant to the answer, 18 February, Official Report, column 353, he will give details of the other safeguard activities to which he referred in setting out the activities his Department undertakes in order to fulfil the obligations with regard to nuclear materials accountancy and nuclear materials safeguards.

Mr. Goodlad

Under Commission Regulation (Euratom) No. 3227/76 the following information is to be communicated regularly to the Commission by each undertaking using nuclear material:

  1. (i) an annual outline programme of activities;
  2. (ii) programmes for taking physical inventories and for reactor shutdown;
  3. (iii) monthly inventory change reports — showing all movements of nuclear material into and out of each material balance area;
  4. (iv) material balance reports and physical inventory listings for each material balance area;
  5. (v) advance notification of exports and imports.

Other safeguards activities undertaken by operators of United Kingdom nuclear facilities involve:

  1. (a) provision of the information listed above;
  2. (b) provision to Euratom of the technical characteristics of facilities;
  3. (c) preparation for, and implementation of procedures for, inspection of the facilities by Commission inspectors on a regular basis.

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