§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at which European Council Ministerial meeting the European Commission Memorandum of Understanding covering the transfer of plutonium processed in the European Union from Belgium to Japan was discussed and endorsed; what debate on the Commission proposal took place; and114W if a parallel memorandum covering transfer of United Kingdom plutonium to Japan has been considered by the European Council. [88014]
§ Mr. HoonThere is no European Commission Memorandum of Understanding covering the transfer of plutonium processed in the European Union from Belgium or the United Kingdom to Japan.
The Japanese-owned plutonium which is due to be returned to Japan following its recovery from spent fuel reprocessed in France has been fabricated into mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel in Belgium under the terms of a diplomatic exchange of notes between Japan and the European Commission dated 10 February 1997. The exchange of notes was carried out in accordance with Article 101 paragraph 3 of the Euratom Treaty and the European Council were informed.
The Japanese-owned plutonium to be returned to Japan following its recovery from spent fuel reprocessed in the United Kingdom has been fabricated into MOX fuel under the terms of the bilateral agreement on nuclear co-operation between the United Kingdom and Japan which was renewed in October 1998. The European Commission was informed of the renewal of this agreement.