§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what information he provided to his Japanese counterpart in respect of British Nuclear Fuels during his meeting in Japan on 8 and 9 April; if he will place in the Library copies of the documentation given to Japanese authorities on MOX plutonium fuel in connection with the meeting; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting. [119136]
§ Mr. PrescottI was in Japan to attend the G8 Environment Ministers meeting at Otsu from Friday 7 April to Sunday 9 April, and I am placing a copy of the communiquéissued at the end of the meeting in the House of Commons Library. There was no discussion of British Nuclear Fuels during this meeting.
After the G8 meeting, I travelled to Tokyo and met the new Japanese Prime Minister Mori on 10 April. I expressed the UK Government's regret at the problems recently caused by BNFL and assured him that the Government would give the highest priority to sorting these out.