§ 27. Mr. ChaytorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the relative costs of eliminating Britain's plutonium stockpile through(a) the production of mixed oxide fuel and (b) vitrification. [49399]
§ Mr. BattleIt is for the owners of spent fuel and plutonium to assess the relative costs of MOX fuel production and vitrification. Subject to meeting the stringent safety, security and international safeguard requirements, it is for them to choose their preferred management options, including whether or not their spent fuel should be reprocessed and whether their plutonium is stored, manufactured into MOX fuel or vitrified.
§ 30. Mr. BakerTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what her policy is in respect of the creation of plutonium from energy sources in the UK. [49402]
§ Mr. BattleNuclear generating stations in this country currently meet nearly 30 per cent. of our electricity needs. It is an inescapable fact that plutonium is produced when uranium is burnt in conventional nuclear reactors.
All civil plutonium in the UK is stored safely and securely under relevant national and international regulations.