HC Deb 29 October 1992 vol 212 cc780-1W
Mrs. Anne Campbell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what plans the Government have for the building of nuclear power stations in Britain which are able to use as fuel the plutonium recovered in reprocessing;

(2) to what uses the plutonium recovered in reprocessing spent fuel from British nuclear power stations at the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield will be put; and whether any will be exported.

Mr. Eggar

It is expected that the material will ultimately be burnt in reactors to generate electricity. This could involve fast reactors, as and when they are needed, or plutonium could be used as mixed oxide fuel in conventional reactors—especially light water reactors such as Sizewell B. Studies are continuing as to whether plutonium fuels could be used economically in advanced gas-cooled reactors. While it is not axiomatic that United Kingdom civil plutonium needs to be burnt in United Kingdom reactors, this material will be transferred overseas only if Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that it will not be misused. The conditions for this include the application of safeguards and assurances covering peaceful use, physical protection and controls on re-transfer.

It is not envisaged that fast reactors will be needed for a number of years. Nuclear Electric will not be granted capital expenditure approval for any new nuclear power stations beyond Sizewell B pending the outcome of the 1994 review of the prospects for nuclear power.