Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what safeguards are currently applied to the storage and import of radioactive tritium in the United Kingdom; what is the minimum amount of tritium loss from storage or transport that would trigger an investigation by Euratom, the International Atomic Energy Agency and Her Majesty's Government under the Zangeer trigger list; and what communications he has had with the United States Department of Energy over the loss of tritium in transit from Oak Ridge national laboratories to the United Kingdom earlier in the current year.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerTritium is not subject to IAEA or Euratom safeguards and does not feature on the Zangeer committee trigger list.
Users of Tritium are either registered under the Radioactive Substance Act 1960 or, in the case of licensed nuclear installations, licensed under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965; and are regulated by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution or Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate as appropriate. In all cases the Ionising Radiation Regulations 1985, which control the storage of, and provide for accountancy for, all radioactive substances apply.
Exports of nuclear materials, equipment and technology are controlled under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1987, through which we give effect to our international obligations. There is no evidence of any tritium being diverted.
401WOfficials of the United States Department of Energy met recently the United Kingdom Department of Energy and United Kingdom customers for United States Tritium to discuss measurement and auditing procedures.