§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment which Departments have responsibilities for disposing of waste radioactive materials from defence and civil establishments in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Graham PageControl of the disposal of radioactive waste from premises is exercised in England by the Department of the Environment, in Wales by the Welsh Office, in Scotland by the Scottish Development Department, and in Northern Ireland by the Ministry of Development. In some special cases, for example where the premises belong to the Atomic Energy Authority, the disposal of radioactive waste is authorised jointly with the appropriate Agriculture, Fisheries and Food department.
Although Government establishments, both defence and civil, are exempt from the statutory controls provided in the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, they are subject to the same controls as other users, applied by administrative rather than by legislative means.