§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what procedures exist to ensure that the information supplied by BNFL in respect of applications for authorisation for proposed radioactive discharge limits fulfils the requirements of environmental assessment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Yeo[holding answer 16 June 1993]: Details of the procedures used by Her Majesty's inspectorate of 122W pollution and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to assess the radiological implications of the radioactive discharges proposed by BNFL in its applications for new discharge authorisations for Sellafield, including the thermal oxide reprocessing plant, are given in the explanatory memoranda which accompanied the public consultation documents. Copies of these memoranda are in the Library of the House.
§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the application from BNFL for authorisation for proposed new radioactive discharge limits from the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield fulfils the requirements of environmental assessment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Yeo[holding answer 16 June 1993]: The information provided by BNFL in support of their applications for new radioactive discharge authorisations for Sellafield, including the thermal oxide reprocessing plant, was sufficient to enable Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to conduct detailed assessments of the radiological implications of the company's proposed discharges. These assessments confirmed that doses resulting from the proposed discharges would be well within national and international limits.
§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made in accordance with EC directive 84/467 Euratom of the projected costs and benefits which will arise from the operation of the BNFL thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Yeo[holding answer 16 June 1993]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, together with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, is currently considering a report by Her Majesty's chief inspector of pollution and the MAFF inspectorates on the recent consultation on applications for revised authorisations under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 for radioactive discharges from the Sellafield site. The revised authorisations would take into account (amongst other things) the operation of the THORP plant.
Any decision on the applications will be made in accordance with national and EC law, including the relevant requirements of Directive 84/467/Euratom.