Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what progress has been made in the Government's decision for handling the UK's plutonium stockpile.

The UK Government remains open to any credible option that offers the best value for money to the taxpayer. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) are undertaking work for us to:

1) gain further understanding of reuse options (reuse as MOX and assessment of the credible alternatives PRISM and Candu);

2) continue to develop the immobilisation option; and

3) establish potential approaches to acquisition and procurement.

We are expecting the NDA to complete this work by early 2015. When this information has been collated, DECC will begin the necessary Government process to decide whether or not to proceed into a formal selection process. When the Government is confident that its preferred option could be implemented safely and securely, that it is affordable, deliverable, and offers value for money, it will be in a position to proceed.