HC Deb 26 July 1993 vol 229 cc642-3W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger),Official Report, 20 July, column 126, what were the dates over which the vitrified high-level waste was delivered to Japan, the mode of transport used, the quantity involved and the location to which it was sent in Japan.

Mr. Eggar

The operational details are a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc and its customer in Japan.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment has been made of Russian technical capacity to process nuclear waste.

Mr. Eggar

[holding answer 8 July 1993]: British Nuclear Fuels plc is in discussion with the Russian Ministry of Atomic Power on the management of that country's nuclear waste. I understand that the parties have identified a number of areas in which collaboration between them can usefully take place and that they have agreed to meet on a regular basis.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in conducting a study with BNFL on financial consequences of abandoning THORP, including the alternative use of already committed capital investment for the interim storage of contracted foreign spent fuel, as recommended in the First report of the Environment Committee of Session 1985–86, HC 191, on radioactive waste; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Eggar

The Government did not accept the recommendation in question.

Mr. Tipping

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assurances overseas customers using the thermal oxide reprocessing plant have given that they will accept returns of high-level waste in accordance with the substitution principle; if Government approval of the principle will be conditional on such assurances; and what assessment he has made of the extent of facilities in recipient countries to provide adequate storage for such waste.

Mr. Eggar

[holding answer 23 July 1993]: The Government's consideration of the proposal by British Nuclear Fuels plc to return nuclear waste by substitution has not yet been completed. Should substitution be approved, it would be for the company to negotiate appropriate arrangements with its customers within guidelines set by the Government. Customers who did not wish to accept substitution on a basis acceptable to the United Kingdom would be required to take delivery of all three waste streams—high, intermediate and low-level waste.

Mr. Tipping

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has about the comparative costs of transporting intermediate-level waste arising from the reprocessing of foreign spent nuclear fuel at the thermal oxide reprocessing plant back to customer countries against storing the intermediate-level waste in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Eggar

[holding answer 23 July 1993]: This is a commercial matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc and its overseas customers.