HC Deb 25 October 1989 vol 158 cc462-3W
Dr. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what departmental papers were presented, and what departmental representation there was at(a) the PAGIS/Commission of the European Communities conference on nuclear waste in Madrid in June and (b) the Commission of the European Communities/International Atomic Energy Agency/ OECD Nuclear Energy Agency sponsored conference on the safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories, in Paris, 9–13 October;

(2) what departmental representation was made, and what papers presented at the forum on radioactive waste repositories held in Paris between 9–13 October, organised by the Commission of the European Communities, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Two DOE officials attended the CEC PAGIS information day held in Madrid on 30 June 1989. No Departmental papers were presented.

Two DOE officials attended the CEC/IAEA/OECD (NEA) symposium on the safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories held in Paris from 9 to 13 October 1989. The following four papers co-authored by DOE officials were presented:

  1. (i) 'The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency Probabilistic Assessment Codes (PSAC) User Group; Objectives, Achievements and Programme of Activities' by B G J Thompson et al.
  2. (ii) 'The Development and Application of an Integrated Radiological Risk Assessment Procedure using Time Dependent Probabilistic Risk Analysis' by J-M Laurencs et al.
  3. (iii) 'CHEMVAL—An International Research Initiative for the Verification and Validation Testing of Chemical Speciation and Chemical Transport Computer Programs' by T W Broyd et al.
  4. (iv) 'Quality Assurance for Safety Assessment of Radioactive Waster Repositories' by I Hill et al.

1. The PAGIS (performance assessment of geological isolation systems) information day held in Madrid on 30 June 1989 was organised by by CEC to report on the Commission-funded research programme assessing radiological impact of radioactive waste disposal. PAGIS consisted of a series of generic studies to assess the radiological impact resulting from the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes in clay, granite and salt formations and in ocean sediments. Scientists drawn from a number of European, including United Kingdom, establishments were involved. The conclusion of the studies is that all four options should, in principle, allow for safe disposal of radioactive wastes. Reports of the studies have recently been published. The audience consisted of politicians, scientists and industry representatives, mainly from European Community member states. Two DOE officials attended; Mr. B. D. Ponsford, director of HMIP, who participated as the United Kingdom representative, in the concluding panel discussion, and Dr. S. Brown, head of research and assessments branch of HMIP. Sir Hugh Rossi MP gave the invited introductory talk.

2. The international symposium on the safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories held in Paris from 9–13 October 1989 was jointly organised by the Commission of the European Communities, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD. The aim of the conference was to give member countries an opportunity, based upon current experience, to summarise the state of the art on safety assessment issues and to discuss possible future developments. Two DOE officials attended; Dr. S. Brown, head of research and assessments branch, HMIP and Dr. B. Thompson, principal inspector, HMIP. A number of papers reporting work commissioned by DOE were presented as were four papers co-authored by DOE officials. The proceedings of the Symposium will be published by the nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD in due course.