HC Deb 21 April 1959 vol 604 cc215-6
41. Mrs. Butler

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when the proposed conference with local authorities on the disposal of radioactive waste is expected to be held; what form the conference will take; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. H. Brooke

I cannot yet add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) on 9th April.

Mrs. Butler

Does the Minister appreciate that since, as he himself has admitted, the present control is not adequate, this question is urgent, and as he promised consultation shortly when he wrote to the A.M.C. at the beginning of January, would he speed up the matter?

Mr. Brooke

The Government attach a great deal of importance to this matter, but there are questions of future legislation involved, and before we start our consultations with the local authority associations we want to have definite proposals to put before them.