§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the dates since 1979 that Her Majesty's Government have received assurances from the Iraqi Government that plutonium exported to Iraq from the United Kingdom will be used for peaceful purposes.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryIn complying with the nuclear suppliers group guidelines covering the exports of nuclear materials and published by the IAEA as INFCIRC/254, the United Kingdom seeks peaceful use assurances from the Government of the country concerned for exports of plutonium in quantities in excess of 50 grams in any given period of 12 months. When the country is, like Iraq, a party to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, its obligations under the treaty remain valid even without such a specific reconfirmation.
Since May 1979 there have been no exports of plutonium which have required Her Majesty's Government to seek such assurances from the Iraqi government.