To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many shipments and what quantity of plutonium nitrate were shipped from Dounreay to Barrow in 1989; and if he will make a statement.

The Department does not collect detailed information of the kind requested. However, I understand that there were no shipments from Dounreay to Barrow in 1989 but two shipments took place from Dounreay to Workington.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains carrying radioactive material arrived for off-loading at Dounreay in (a) 1987, (b) 1988 and (c) 1989; how many trains carrying radioactive material left Dounreay in (i) 1987, (ii) 1988 and (iii) 1989; and what were the origins or destination points of the journeys.

The Department does not collect data of the kind requested. However, I understand that a number of minor shipments took place from Dounreay and consisted of minute quantities of radioactive materials of low activity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy in respect of methods of transport for returning plutonium to Japan after it has been processed at the THORP reprocessing plant; and if he will make a statement.

Plutonium will be returned to Japan in containers certified by my Department as fully complying with stringent international safety regulations which do not depend for their effectiveness on the mode of transport used.The decision on the mode of transport, whether by air or by sea, will be for BNFL, whose arrangements will have to comply with the international regulations.