Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, in light of his statement on the wind-down of the fast reactor programme, 21 July,Official Report, column 1288, he will make a statement on (i) the continued necessity for the reprocessing of Magnox spent fuel at Sellafield for the separation of plutonium for the fast reactor core at Dounreay and (ii) the continued necessity for the reprocessing of advanced gas-cooled reactor spent fuel and pressurised water reactor spent fuel from electricity board reactors at the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield for the separation of plutonium for the fast reactor fuel core at Dounreay.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerAs my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made clear in his statement, we are retaining a position in fast reactor technology. There is a continued need for reprocessing at Sellafield, and BNFL has contracts placed for Thorp.