Mr. Torgerson: We have had discussions with the National Research Council of Canada, universities and other stakeholders over the years on the possibility of replacing NRU with a new multi-purpose reactor.

nuclear safety, in implementing research on existing as well as on new fuel cycles and on reactor safety of both western and Russian reactor types as well as on new reactor design.

Research to underpin the continued safe operation of all relevant types of existing reactor systems (including fuel cycle facilities), taking into account new challenges such as life-time extension and development of new advanced safety assessment methodologies (both the technical and human element) including as regards severe accidents, and to assess the potential, the safety and waste-management aspects of future reactor systems, in the short and medium term, thereby maintaining the high safety standards already achieved within the EU and considerably improving the long-term management of radioactive waste.

The two main aspects in this research concern: mechanical integrity of the fuel assemblies during reactor lifetime, and fuel response to transient conditions and to severe reactor accident conditions up to core melt down.

- nuclear power stations and other nuclear reactors including the dismantling or decommissioning of such power stations or reactors (*) (except research installations for the production and conversion of fissionable and fertile materials, whose maximum power does not exceed 1 kilowatt continuous thermal load).

Amount deemed necessary: ECU 336 million Indicative breakdown by area: Area % Pharmaceutical research 11 Research on biomedical technology and engineering 11 Brain research 12 Research on diseases with major socio-economic impact: from basic research into clinical training 42 - Cancer research 10 - Research on AIDS, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases 8 - Research on cardiovascular diseases 8 - Research on chronic diseases, ageing and age-related problems 10 - Research on occupational and environmental health 4 - Research on "orphan" diseases 2 Human genome research 12 Public health research, including health services research 10 ...[+++]Research on biomedical ethics 2 ____ TOTAL 100 % ECU 336 million Nuclear fission safety Objectives: - To explore ways of achieving greater acceptance of nuclear energy in the three areas that cause the greatest concern (reactor safety, particularly in connection with serious accidents; the management of long-lived radionuclides, including plutonium; the risk of fissile materials being hijacked); - to prevent and improve understanding of reactor accidents; - scientific questions relating to the storage of long-lived radioactive waste; - research on radiation protection (radiological impact on man and the environment); - to contribute to strategies for the long-term mitigation of the consequences of past nuclear accidents, in particular that at Chernobyl, and to follow the development of the situation.