Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any current plans to arrange the placing of a research contract with the European Proliferation Information Centre to make an independent evaluation of the present adequacy of nuclear safeguards in European Economic Community member states.
§ Mrs. ChalkerNo.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the 121W hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, Official Report, 23 May, column 26, if he will make a statement on the official findings of the European Commission investigation into the transfer of nuclear materials within the European Community; and whether he is satisfied with the conclusions.
§ Mr. MellorThe result of the European Commission investigation has not yet been published. However, I understand that it found no evidence of any breach of the safeguards regime and no serious irregularities in the shipment of radioactive waste. It has identified some management failures at the Belgian reprocessing plant at Mol involving the accounting and monitoring of radioactive waste. I am satisfied that the investigation as thorough.