§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, by location, the proposed 6,000 drill holes he has authorised the nuclear industry to make in Caithness, in respect of ascertaining a suitable site for a nuclear waste dump; when he expects them to report their findings; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 23 May 1991]: The exact location of any shot holes, up to the maximum of 6,000 granted planning permission by my right hon. Friend, is an operational matter for the chairman of UK Nirex Ltd. He wrote to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 13 May on this subject and I have placed a copy of his letter in the Library of the House. UK Nirex expects to identify its preferred site for a repository later this year.