§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps will be taken in respect of the decommissioning dismantling and clearance of Nuclear Magnox Reactors in Great Britain. [77598]
§ Mr. WilsonBNFL has announced its strategy for the Magnox stations including projected latest dates for their generating lifetimes. As is stated in CM2919 "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy—Final Conclusions" published in 1995, the decommissioning strategies of nuclear operators are subject to quinquennial review by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Such a review of the decommissioning strategy for the reactors operated by Magnox Electric plc was completed by HSE in February 2002. Details of the strategy, and the outcome of the review, can be found in HSE's report which is available on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/nsd/magdecom.pdf.
As indicated in the recent white paper "Managing the Nuclear Legacy—A Strategy for Action", the detailed timing and operational plans for decommissioning the Magnox stations is one of the matters to be considered by the Liabilities Management Authority (LMA) once established. The LMA will operate openly and transparently and its plans will be published.