To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance he has issued to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on the arrangements for the transportation of plutonium dioxide powder by (a) land and (b) sea; and if he will make a statement. (195859)

[holding answer 20 March 2008]: It is a regulatory requirement that any transport of category I civil nuclear material is conducted in accordance with a Transport Security Plan (TSP) to be submitted by the approved carrier in accordance with the requirements of the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003. The TSP must be approved by the regulator, the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS). These plans take full account of all relevant national regulations, international standards and obligations regarding the carriage of nuclear material and OCNS approval will not be given until it is satisfied that all security measures are adequately robust.

Packages for transporting plutonium oxide powder are approved by the Department for Transport to a standard that is set by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Vessels for transporting plutonium oxide are approved to a standard set by the International Maritime Organisation.