§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the arrangements for the safe handling of uranium oxide within the United Kingdom and at the port of origin.
§ Mr. WaddingtonHandling operations involving uranium oxide are subject in port areas to the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and at places of use additionally to the Ionising Radiations (Unsealed Radioactive Substances) Regulations 1968 or to conditions imposed by virtue of a site licence granted under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965. The transport of material throughout the United Kingdom is governed by modal regulations based on the standards established by the International Atomic Energy Authority.
Having regard to the low specific activity of uranium oxide and to the present scale of use I do not consider these requirements or the standard of compliance inadequate. However, new ionising radiations regulations are in preparation which will apply to the use. handling and storage of radioactive material and will unify and rationalise the stipulations.