§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 8 January 2003,Official Report, column 266W, on plutonium disposition, what proportion of the funds committed by the United Kingdom to the disposition of Russian plutonium is earmarked to convert the plutonium into MOX nuclear fuel. [92060]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe United Kingdom has committed £70 milion over ten years to help Russia dispose of plutonium, as it agreed to under the 2000 US/ Russia agreement. That agreement saw both Russia and the US commit to dispose of 34 tonnes of plutonium each. The Russian 34 tonnes will be disposed of as MOX. The UK, unlike some other contributors, has not earmarked its funds for a particular purpose. We believe this programme to be an important part of our wider non-proliferation policy, as it will ensure that a substantial quantity of fissile material cannot fall into terrorist or criminal hands.