§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 10 December 1997,Official Report, column 548, if she will list the international experts consulted since 1988 in the review of measures to protect against terrorist activity directed at nuclear materials in transit; and if she will list the research her Department has evaluated on this subject. [22300]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 12 January 1998]: In accordance with the requirements of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, government security experts co-operate, exchange information and consult directly with experts in other governments so as to ensure that nuclear material in international transportation is protected adequately and effectively. All 214W relevant available information is reviewed on a case by case basis before movements of sensitive quantities of nuclear material.
§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if the United Kingdom representatives on the informal group on guidelines for the management of plutonium proposed that details of plutonium isotopic quality be included in section 9 on nuclear material accountancy and control in the report on the guidelines recently placed in the Library. [22285]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 12 January 1998]: In many respects the guidelines represents a reaffirmation of existing obligations and commitments. Section 9 concerning nuclear material accountancy and control is a case in point and accords with the provisions in the participating countries' respective safeguards agreements with the IAEA and, in the case of the United Kingdom, France Germany and Belgium, Euratom. The inclusion in the guidelines of details of plutonium isotopic quality would not have been consistent with these agreements which, with one minor exception, do not distinguish between plutonium of different isotopic composition.