§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place in the G8 ad hoc group on the disposition of surplus military nuclear materials on the forthcoming shipment to France from the United States of surplus weapons plutonium in France; and whether the United Kingdom has(a) been asked to and (b) offered to participate in this programme. [150831]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe forthcoming shipment was noted at the last G8 ad hoc group on plutonium disposition on 4 December 2003. As part of its commitment to co-operative threat reduction, the UK has committed £70 million towards multilateral efforts to secure the disposition of surplus weapons-grade plutonium in Russia. This follows a US-Russia agreement to each dispose of 34 tonnes of weapons-grade plutonium. The forthcoming shipment contributes to these efforts.