§ Lord Jenkins of Putneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much plutonium has been produced as a result of reprocessing operations at Sellafield to date.
§ Lord Simon of HighburyI refer my noble friend to the Department of Trade and Industry's annual press release, last published on 18 July 1996, which covers plutonium produced at Britain's civil nuclear power stations, reprocessing activities at Sellafield and the civil plutonium stocks. This shows that, up to 31 March 1996, there were 48.5 tonnes of separated plutonium held at 157WA Sellafield from reprocessing—which includes some of the five tonnes of plutonium that have been sold to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for fast reactor research and development. All plutonium arising from the reprocessing of spent fuel from UK civil nuclear reactors is subject to Euratom safeguards as well as stringent, internationally agreed standards of physical protection which protect against theft, sabotage and diversion of nuclear materials.
Copies of the current and previous press releases are available in the Library of the House. The next press release is due at the end of this month. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House and I will send one to the noble Lord.