To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate she has made of the percentage of the world’s uranium supplies which are in Burma. (82538)

The International Atomic Energy Agency online database of world uranium deposits lists no entries for Burma. The Burmese Government have identified five sites of uranium ore deposits, located at Magway, Taungdwingyi, Kyaukphygon (Mogok), Kyauksin, and Paongpyin (Mogok). Their official reporting can be found at: www.energy.gov.mm. The total quantity of uranium is unknown, but is likely to be very limited.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of whether the uranium produced and exported by Burma is the kind that can be used in the development of (a) nuclear weapons and (b) dirty bombs. (82539)

We are not aware of any exports of uranium from Burma. Burma maintains that its limited uranium production is for ongoing studies into the peaceful use of nuclear power.

Any uranium ore would have to be processed before it could be used in a nuclear facility. In particular, to be used in a nuclear weapons programme, uranium would have to be enriched to more than 90 per cent. U235. We are not aware of any enrichment facilities being operational in Burma.

Uranium is not an effective material to use in the construction of a radiological weapon, or “dirty bomb”.