§ Mr. Denis Howellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what international agreements or conventions are in effect to deal with the dumping of nuclear waste at sea.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe dumping of radioactive wastes in the Atlantic is subject to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (the London Dumping Convention) and to the multilateral consultation and surveillance mechanism for sea dumping of radioactive waste established by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and administered by the Nuclear Energy Agency.
§ Mr. Denis Howellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why Her Majesty's Government voted against a halt to the dumping of nuclear waste at sea, during the recent meeting of the London dumping convention.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithWe did so because the relevant resolution involved action that was against the policy of Her Majesty's Government and against the spirit of the convention. In particular, it called on member states to act in advance of receiving authoritative scientific advice: to do so would be contrary to the provisions of article XV(2) of the convention.
§ Mr. Denis Howellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the amount of nuclear waste dumped at sea by the United Kingdom, and the locations for each year since 1978.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe information is as follows: 429W
Year Gross weight in tonnes* Radioactivity in curies alpha beta/gamma 1978 2,080 814 69,307 1979 2,014 1,381 81,080 1980 2,693 1,791 106,079 1981 2,517 2,032 104,709 1982 2,697 1,264 107,512 * including packaging. These wastes have all been dumped at one internationally approved site in the North Atlantic which is within 10 nautical miles north and south of 46°N and bounded by 17°30′W and 16°W.
§ Mr. Denis Howellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's policy regarding the dumping of nuclear waste at sea.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe Government have continued the policy adopted by previous Administrations that the dumping at sea of low-level radioactive waste is an acceptable disposal option, provided that such operations are in accord with the internationally agreed rules and, on the basis of expert scientific advice, do not endanger human health or pose a significant risk to the marine environment.
§ Mr. Denis Howellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the policy of Her Majesty's Government at the recent meeting of the London dumping convention.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithIt was the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the United Kingdom delegation to the seventh meeting of the London dumping430W convention should contribute constructively to the work of the convention and should seek to ensure that decisions were in accordance with the terms and spirit of the convention.