HC Deb 15 May 1986 vol 97 cc545-8W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he received the letter of 4 April 1985 sent by Mr. R. A Shearing of 43 Lansdowne avenue, Grimsby, with regard to the proposed nuclear dump at Killingholme; if he has yet replied to this letter; and if he will make it his policy to allow Mr. Shearing time to reply to him before he brings forward the special development order;

(2) when he received the letter of 7 April 1985 from Mrs. V. Ingram of 116 Pelham avenue, Grimsby, with regard to the proposed nuclear dump site at Killingholme; if he has yet replied to this letter; and if he will allow Mrs. Ingram time to reply to him before he brings forward his proposals;

(3) whether he intends to collect evidence from the Anglian water authority on the four possible nuclear dump sites before a special development order is laid;

(4) what consultations he has had with the Anglian water authority about the drainage, water table, dampness and water flow problems of the land at Killingholme, South Humberside, selected by NIREX as a possible nuclear dump;

(5) if he will reply to Councillor John Colebrook of 56 Gloucester avenue, Grimsby, South Humberside DN34 5BZ, about the South Killingholme potential nuclear waste disposal site in sufficient time for the recipient to reply before the special development order is laid; and if he will make a statement;

(6) what account was taken by NIREX of drainage and water table problems of sites considered for nuclear dumping;

(7) whether his review of the question of radioactive dose equivalent to critical groups will be completed before the geological exploration of near-surface disposal sites begins; and what implications it has for the design, siting and operation of nuclear dumps;

(8) how many sites will be producing waste which will be taken to the Government's proposed low-level nuclear waste dump once it is in operation; how many are accessible for rail transportation; how many would be sending waste by road; what preference he has expressed to NIREX for transportation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave

I shall answer these questions shortly.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what study has been made of the implications of the nuclear incident at the Russian nuclear waste dump in the Southern Urals in the 1950s for nuclear dumping in Britain: and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave

The Soviet Union has never acknowledged that such an incident took place. If a waste disposal site was involved, it is unlikely that the site was constructed to the standards the Government would require for a site in this country.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to (a) how many other countries use near-surface disposal facilities for low-level nuclear waste, (b) how many use deep disposal facilities and(c) what are the comparative cost ratios of the one method to the other; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave

(a) In the Western industrialised countries, France, the United States and Canada use near-surface disposal facilities for low-level nuclear waste.

(b) Only Sweden and West Germany will have deep disposal facilities before 1990.

(c) Comparative costs are given in "Assessment of Best Practicable Environmental Options" Her Majesty's Stationery Office March 1986. However, these costs are kept under review by UK NIREX Ltd. as new information becomes available.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion and acreage of the British Isles has clay soil suitable for the shallow trench disposal of nuclear waste.

Mr. Waldegrave

Acreage figures are not available. However, I shall send to the hon. Member a pamphlet issued by UK NIREX Ltd. which identifies the main clay areas in the United Kingdom arid the areas of search for sites based on clay which NIREX has considered.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give his reaction to recommendations 6, 9, 12, 20, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 34, 35, 37, 39, 40 and 41 of the report of the Environment Committee on nuclear waste before laying any special development order.

Mr. Waldegrave

No. The Government are considering these recommendations and will respond in due course.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the institutions, laboratories and organisations at present producing low-level nuclear waste.

Mr. Waldegrave

[pursuant to his reply, 14 May 1986, c. 492]: I shall arrange for a list to be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Envirionment if he will set out the collection procedures for low-level nuclear waste.

Mr. Waldegrave

[pursuant to his answer, 14 May 1986, c. 492]: Certificates of registration issued under section 1 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 require that the user keeps records showing:

  1. (i) the date upon which each registered substance was brought on to the premises.
  2. (ii) the date on which each registered substance was removed from the premises, the address of the premises to which it was removed, and the name of the occupier of those premises.
  3. (iii) the names of and the sum total of becquerels of all the specified radionuclides contained in each registered substance at the time it was brought on to the premises and at the time it was removed therefrom.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what instructions he has given to hospitals, universities and research laboratories on collection and safety procedures for low-level nuclear waste;

(2) what instructions he has given to hospitals, universities and research laboratories using the national disposal service at Harwell on low-level nuclear waste and its collection; and what kinds of waste may be disposed of through normal non-nuclear rubbish collection.

Mr. Waldegrave

[pursuant to his reply, 14 May 1986, c. 492]: All authorities to dispose of radioactive waste are issued uner section 6 of the Radioactive Substances act 1960 and permission to store is given uner section 7. These authorisations are issued subject to conditions set out in the certificates, which vary depending on individual circumstances. Conditions for the disposal of waste through normal non-nuclear disposal routes are set out in paragraph 54 of the "Guide to the Administration of the Act". Her Majesty's Stationery Office 1982.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to introduce compacting of nuclear waste at Drigg; and what assessment he has made of the costs of this.

Mr. Waldegrave

[pursuant to his reply, 14 May 1986, c. 492]: The Drigg site is operated by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. under the terms of an authorisation issued by my Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. BNFL is planning to compact wastes from Sellafield in 1987. The authorising Departments are reviewing the terms of the present authorisation.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many institutions use the nuclear waste disposal service; what method of transport is used, and what are the annual costs of providing this service.

Mr. Waldegrave

[pursuant to his reply, 14 May 1986, c. 492]: 169 institutions are currently authorised to use the national disposal service. Transport is almost entirely by road and the costs are borne by the user.

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