§ Mr. David Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an assessment of the level of risk of radiological pollution of the Dorset coast from nuclear power stations on the French coast.
§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith:I have been asked to reply.
It is already a requirement of the Euratom treaty that member States submit information on their plans for the disposal of radioactive waste from new nuclear facilities so that the Commission can determine whether these plans would adversely affect other member States. This information has been submitted for the nuclear power station at Gravelines, although not yet for the other two power stations being built by France on the Channel coast. The Commission, on the basis of expert advice, concluded that normal operations at Gravelines would have no significant effect on the United Kingdom. Special bilateral arrangements which would apply in the case of a serious incident are under discussion; my own experts, however, advise that it is highly unlikely that any release of radioactivity from Gravelines would have radiological implications for the Dorset coast. The routine monitoring carried out by this Department in the area would, of course, detect any sudden increase in levels of radioactivity.