§ Lord Elis-Thomasasked Her Majesty's Government:
What quantities of (a) plutonium, (b) enriched uranium, (c) uranium hexafloride and (d) depleted uranium have been imported to and exported from the United Kingdom since 1990; and what are the purposes of this trade in nuclear materials.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Baroness Denton of Wakefield)Figures for the quantities of plutonium imported and exported under international safeguards are published annually by the Department of Trade and Industry and placed in the Library of the House. Figures for the import and export of enriched and depleted uranium are published monthly in the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom (MM20 of the Business Monitor series), except where not shown because of confidentiality or non-availability. Figures for uranium hexafloride are contained within the other figures for uranium. As is the case with any commodities, international trade in civil nuclear material arises from the wish of the participants to pursue their commercial interests.