Nuclear Fuel (Reprocessing)

HC Deb 14 June 1988 vol 135 cc97-8W

Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what information he possesses on the details of negotiations between the Japanese and United States Governments for United States permission for the reprocessing of United States-origin nuclear fuel, currently in Japanese nuclear plants, in British Nuclear Fuels plc's Sellafield reprocessing plant;

(2) what information he possesses on the progress in negotiations between the Japanese nuclear authorities and the United States Government on arrangements for the shipment of plutonium from British Nuclear Fuels plc's Sellafield reprocessing plant to Japan under United States licensing laws.

Mr. Michael Spicer

Transport and reprocessing arrangements for United States-origin nuclear material are dealt with in the agreement for co-operation between the Governments of the United States of America and Japan concerning peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which was signed on 4 November 1987. I understand the agreement has now been cleared by the United States Congress and the Japanese Diet.