§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations were carried out with the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee and what representations were received from it (a) before his decision to abandon research on four possible low-level waste dumps and (b) subsequently.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee's views on shallow disposal of nuclear waste have been made clear in all of the committee's annual reports submitted to Ministers since 1983. There was no consultation with the Committee198W before my right hon. Friend's statement on 1 May, but I wrote to the Committee about the decision on the day of the statement. No representations have been received from the Committee since 1 May.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will tabulate the calculations made by (a) his Department, (b) the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee and (c) NIREX on the costs of disposal of low-level waste in shallow trenches.
§ Mr. WaldegraveOn calculations made by the Department, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Assessment of Best Practicable Environmental Options for Management of Low and Intermediate-level Solid Radioactive Wastes published by HMSO in March 1986. On the calculations by NIREX, I have nothing to add to the letter from the chairman of NIREX to my right hon. Friend dated 1 May, which is in the Library of the House.
The Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee has made no calculations on the costs of disposal.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if there have been any changes in the composition of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee since his decision to cancel research for low-level nuclear sites.
§ Mr. WaldegraveNo.