§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the safeguards arrangements to apply to the proposed European demonstration reprocessing plant at Dounreay contain any provisions for the withdrawal of nuclear materials from safeguards for national security reasons.
§ Mr. GoodladAs a civil nuclear facility the proposed European demonstration reprocessing plant at Dounreay would be subject to Euratom safeguards inspections and th provisions of the UK-IAEA-Euratom safeguards agreement.
Article 14 of the agreement provides for the withdrawal of nuclear material for national security reasons. However, in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 23 December 1982, at column 668, my right hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. 105W Moore) said that the Government have no plans for putting to military use any plutonium derived from the United Kingdom civil nuclear programme. The fast reactor programme at Dounreay is part of the civil nuclear programme.