§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what quantities of plutonium contaminated wastes were(a) stored and (b) disposed of at (i) Sellafield and (ii) Dounray in each of the last three years. [81498]
§ Mr. BattleThese are matters for BNFL and the UKAEA respectively, and I have asked the chairman of each organisation to write to my hon. Friend with the information he requires and to place a copy of his reply in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what notice is given to other states of the shipment from the United Kingdom of cargoes of(a) high-level radioactive waste, (b) plutonium and (c) MOX nuclear fuel. [81945]
§ Mr. BattleWe are not required to give any notice of such shipments. To date, there have been no shipments by sea from the UK of High Level Waste. However, in the case of shipments by sea of High Level Waste from France to Japan undertaken by BNFL as transport operator, it has been our practice since 1996 routinely to inform coastal states, both on and off route, in advance and on a confidential basis. We intend to continue with this practice in the case of the forthcoming sea shipment of MOX fuel from Sellafield, consistent with our international obligations to protect information about the movement of sensitive nuclear materials. As far as I am 707W aware, there have been no shipments of civil separated plutonium by sea from the United Kingdom since the late 1970s. Shipments by air from the United Kingdom of nuclear materials are carried out fully in accordance with our obligations under national and international aviation regulations.