§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total quantity of plutonium exported to the United States of America since 1963 in the form of experimental fast reactor fuel pins; how many fuel pins were involved; to which facilities in the United States of America they were sent; and what quantities of plutonium have subsequently been returned.
§ Mr. EggarFor the period from May 1979, plutonium in experimental fast reactor fuel pins was sent by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority under international safeguards to the United States of America in financial years 1980–81, 1981–82 and 1986–87. The pins were sent for research work under the joint United Kingdom and United States fast reactor research programme which was completed in 1987. There have been no net transfers of plutonium—other than in gram quantities—between the United Kingdom and the United States arising from the programme. The specific details are a matter for the parties concerned.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has anything to add to the information conveyed to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil (Mr. Rowlands) in the letter of 27 September 1984 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy, in regard to plutonium exports to the United States of America.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on stockpiling plutonium in the United Kingdom; and what information he has on the policies on plutonium stockpiling of those countries currently contracted to United Kingdom reprocessing plants for their spent nuclear fuel to be reprocessed and returned.
§ Mr. EggarThe essential factors in any arrangements for holding stocks of civil plutonium, whether in the United Kingdom or overseas, are that—whatever the amounts being stored—they are held safely under international safeguards and subject to stringent internationally agreed standards of physical protection.