§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he has received written representations from the European Commission or any EC member states concerning an environmental impact assessment of THORP under EC directive 85/337/EEC;
(2) if he will list those countries which have written to his Department concerning an environmental impact assessment of THORP under EC directive 85/337/EEC; and what his reply was, placing copies of all correspondence in the Library, including copies of any correspondence with the Commission.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the European Commission inquiry into the legality of the THORP project.
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§ Mr. Yeo[holding answer 24 November 1993]: The United Kingdom has received a letter from the Commission seeking information in relation to the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria. Since the start of the second consultation period on the revised draft authorisations for Sellafield, letters referring to directive 85/337/EEC have been received from Ministers of the Republic of Ireland and Denmark, and Ministers of Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands have written about environmental impact assessments in connection with Parcom recommendation 93/5. Correspondence between the United Kingdom and the Commission or foreign Governments is treated in confidence.