§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement about progress made on nuclear fusion research; and what Q ratio of input energy to output has been achieved. [174808]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Joint European Torus (JET) based at Culham in Oxfordshire has achieved an input energy to output ratio of Q =1. An international partnership has come together to build the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) which is expected to achieve a ratio of Q= 10 and beyond.
§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on(a)matters discussed and (b)agreements made in respect of nuclear power during the recent visit of the Minister for Energy, E-Commerce and Postal Services 29W to Japan; and if she will place in the Library copies of papers or documents provided to (i) the Japanese nuclear industry and (ii) Japanese Government officials during his visit. [176381]
§ Mr. TimmsDuring my recent visit to Japan I held wide-ranging discussions on telecommunications and energy issues, including nuclear and BNFL related issues with Japanese interlocutors. I also outlined the changes to the UK nuclear industry described in the Energy Bill.
The nuclear power issues discussed were designed to improve understanding between the UK and Japan and did not give rise to any agreements between our two countries. No papers or documents were provided to either the Japanese nuclear industry or to the Japanese Government.