§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what information has been received by his Department from British Nuclear Fuels plc in regard to its plans to import radioactively contaminated nitric acid from the United States Department of Energy nuclear complex at Hanford, Washington state; and what licensing arrangements cover the import of contaminated acids for recycling at Sellafield.
§ Mr. EggarThis is a matter for the company, subject to meeting appropriate regulatory requirements. Specific import licences are required for acids containing certain nuclear materials.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what capacity exists in United Kingdom industry to manufacture nitric acid; and whether the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations apply to all nitric acid manufacturing plant.
§ Mr. HeseltineA figure for production capacity for nitric acid is not available but the chemical is made by a number of companies in the United Kingdom. Responsibility for administering the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 rests with the Health and Safety Executive. I understand that some, but no all, sites manufacturing nitric acid are subject to the requirements of CIMAH.