§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they are taking to expedite and conclude negotiations to establish an arrangement based on Articles III and IX of the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) statute to enable the IAEA to act as guarantor for the supply of fissile material to civilian nuclear users. [HL1329]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanMy right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary's Statement to the House on 25 February 2004 (Official Report, cols. WS 48–49) outlined the UK's current thinking on fissile material supply. He proposed that states not in compliance with their International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards obligations, while retaining the right to a civil nuclear programme, might forfeit their right to develop the nuclear fuel cycle. Countries honouring their safeguards obligations could supply fissile material for such programmes under IAEA monitoring while in the receiving country, and reclaim spent fuel after use.
The UK is playing a full role in IAEA Director General Dr El Baradei's expert group. It is expected that the group will report shortly, and we look forward to studying its contents.