§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he records on incidents overseas of(a) the theft of nuclear materials and (b) the attempted sale of stolen nuclear materials; if he will list recent such incidents; what is his assessment of the risks that these activities present; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe keep records of all incidents which come to our attention involving theft or illegal sales of nuclear materials overseas. The three most recent incidents which have been brought to our attention are as follows: the seizure of a small quantity of low-enriched uranium by the Italian authorities in August; two cases in Germany last month in one of which the authorities seized 4.8 pounds of low-enriched uranium and in the other a small quantity of caesium and strontium. All such incidents so far have involved materials of negligible proliferation concern. But we are not complacent. Clearly 175W the theft or sale of weapons grade material would represent a severe proliferation danger. We are currently following up reports in a Sunday newspaper of a possible attempted illegal sale of plutonium in Bulgaria.