§ Ms Roseanna CunninghamTo ask the Prime Minister (1) what discussions he had with President314W Clinton on the transfer of nuclear waste from Georgia to Dounreay; and what data the US Government gave him on this material; [46248]
(2) on what dates negotiations took place with the US Government with regard to the importation of nuclear material from Georgia; on what date it was first discussed that low-grade nuclear material would form part of the consignment; and which UK representatives were involved in these discussions; [46249]
(3) on what date he was notified that 9 kilogrammes of low-grade nuclear waste was included in the consignment of nuclear material brought to Dounreay from Georgia; and what quantity of low-grade nuclear waste was proposed when he agreed to receive the material into the United Kingdom; [46246]
(4) who made the decision to accept the 9 kilogrammes of low-grade nuclear waste from Georgia for reprocessing at Dounreay; when it was made; and which ministers were informed. [46247]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 16 June 1998]Following their initial approach in July 1997, there were contacts at official level with the US Government on several occasions. The decision to accept the Georgian nuclear material was made in the normal way, in consultation between Cabinet colleagues, at the beginning of February this year, and communicated to the US Government during my visit to the United States a few days later. Policy officials from the DTI and their security advisers took part in a meeting in Washington on 24 February to discuss security and transport issues related to the movement. Technical information relating to the probable nature of the consignment was among the detailed documents received from US officials and subsequently passed on to the technical specialists at Dounreay so that they could make the necessary preparations for receipt and safe-keeping of the Georgian material.
The Government's prime objective was to remove material of proliferation concern from Georgia. Before the Government made the decision to take the material, we were informed of all relevant issues. Low grade nuclear waste did not form part of the consignment, which consisted of irradiated highly enriched uranium. As I told the House on 22 April 1998, Official Report, column 818, in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, Acton and Shepherds Bush (Mr. Soley), the intermediate level radioactive waste resulting from reprocessing the irradiated uranium would fill two drums. The exact details of the consignment were a matter for the technical specialists whose job it was to handle the material safely and securely once it arrived in this country.