§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if the hon. Member for Don Valley may be sent a copy of the reply sent on 22 September on behalf of the Prime Minister, in answer to the letter handed to the Prime Minister on 15 June by a Japanese group in respect of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.
§ Mr. EggarA copy has been sent to the hon. Member, and I have today also placed a copy in the Library of the House.
§ Mrs. Anne CampbellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration has been given to the possibility of contracts between British Nuclear Fuels plc and customers of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant being varied or annulled in his deliberations as to the start-up of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.
§ Mr. EggarDetails of reprocessing contracts are a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc and its customers. For the Government's consideration of the possibility of changes being made to contracts, I refer the hon. Member to the statement of Government policy on reprocessing and operation of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield, paragraphs 62-68, which was made available as one of the public consultation documents on 4 August 1993. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mrs. Anne CampbellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements are made for him or officials from his Department to read signed contracts between British Nuclear Fuels plc and customers of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.
§ Mr. EggarMy Department is in regular contact with British Nuclear Fuels plc on a wide range of issues.
§ Mr. DafisTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps the Government have taken to validate British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.'s estimate of costs of decommissioning the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.
§ Mr. Eggar[holding answer 7 December 1993]: Estimates of decommissioning costs are a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc.