Nuclear Materials

Mr. Llew Smith
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the planned expenditure on anti-smuggling, set out at table 3, page 19 of HM Customs and Excise Departmental report, 1998, (Cm 3918) is allocated to combat nuclear materials smuggling. [38730]

Dawn Primarolo
Planned expenditure on combating the smuggling of nuclear materials is included in the figures for Protection of Society in table 4 of page 28 of the Report (table 3 deals with UK revenue). This expenditure relates to the integral control of a wide range of prohibited and restricted items. I regret that it is not possible to disaggregate a figure for specific goods.

Mr. Llew Smith
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many instances of the smuggling into the United Kingdom of illicit nuclear materials have been detected since 1990. [38726]

Dawn Primarolo
Customs have detected no instances of the smuggling into the United Kingdom of illicit nuclear materials during the period since 1990.