§ Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 14 January 2004,Official Report, column 788W, on nuclear energy, what the Department's acceptable weight limits are concerning nuclear material unaccounted for; when these limits were adopted; and when they are due to be reviewed. [172094]
§ Nigel GriffithsNuclear material unaccounted for (MUF) is a recognised feature of accounting for nuclear material and is caused primarily by the uncertainties inherent in the techniques used to measure nuclear material. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) describes standards for the measurement uncertainty expected for closing a nuclear material balance in its Safeguards Glossary, and it publishes International Target Values (ITV) for uncertainties on measurements performed on nuclear material. These are used to determine whether a facility's measurement system meets international standards and are periodically updated by international experts to reflect currently achievable measurement capabilities and to incorporate newly developed measurement techniques and instruments. The values currently used were set in 2000 and were published by the IAEA in April 2001 as a Safeguards Technical Report (STR-327). This report is available from the IAEA in hardcopy only. However,254W most sections of the report can also be found at www.inmm.org/topics/contents/JNMMPaperITV.pdf. The values will be reviewed when international experts conclude a change is needed.
All civil nuclear material in the UK is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the UK/Euratom/IAEA safeguards agreement. The European Commission's report on the operation of Euratom Safeguards in 2002, the most recent published, concluded that no evidence for the diversion of nuclear materials was found by the systematic evaluation of MUF reported by nuclear installations.
§ Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list nuclear materials unaccounted for at sites operated by(a) BNFL, (b) the UK Atomic Energy Authority and (c) URENCO since 1997; and if she will make a statement on Government oversight of private civilian nuclear facilities. [172093]
§ Nigel GriffithsMaterial unaccounted for (MUF) figures are published annually by the nuclear industry. Copies of the figures published since 1997 were placed in the Libraries of the House on 21 January 2004,Official Report, columns 1233–34W in response to a written question.
All civil nuclear material in the UK, irrespective of ownership, is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the UK/Euratom/IAEA safeguards agreement. The Safeguards Office of DTI is responsible for overseeing these international obligations.