§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proposals he has to give further consideration to the granting of permission for a low-level nuclear waste repository at Culham, what is the minimum distance from a school required for(a) short-term and (b) permanent permission for such a repository; how far the European school is from the site at Culham; and if he will make a statement; [37988]
(2) what representations he has received against the granting of permission for a low-level nuclear waste repository at Culham. [37989]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Environment Agency is considering an application from Safeguard International for authorisations under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 in respect of a radioactive waste transfer station at Culham. The facility would be a temporary store, not a repository for the permanent disposal of radioactive waste and would handle non-nuclear radioactive waste—e.g. from hospitals, 597W universities, research laboratories and non-nuclear industries. The European school is 1.5 km from the proposed facility. There is no requirement to set minimum distance for schools or any other development, since the surroundings of a facility are taken into account by the Environment Agency when considering applications. The Secretary of State has received one petition and 89 nine letters and will consider whether to call in the application for his own determination under section 24 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993.