§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what payments(a) BNFL and (b) UKAEA make to the Government to meet the costs of applying safeguards to the companies' nuclear facilities and operations; and what was the total cost of the application of nuclear safeguards in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available. [62493]
§ Mrs. RocheNuclear safeguards in the United Kingdom are applied by Euratom and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The activities of the two organisations are funded through the contributions of their member states. Costs to UK nuclear operators do arise however from the requirements placed upon them to maintain nuclear materials accountancy systems and receive safeguards inspections. Neither Euratom nor the IAEA break down the costs of applying safeguards in individual countries. Figures which are available to us show that, in 1996, some 30 per cent. of Euratom and 4 per cent. of IAEA days of safeguards inspection effort were devoted to the UK. However, safeguards inspection days provide only a partial indication of total safeguards costs.