§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the last emergency exercise took place under the civil nuclear emergency planning programme; what the(a) budget and (b) actual cost was of the last exercise; what assessment of it took place; whether the results were made available to hon. Members; and if she will make a statement. [83656]
§ Mr. WilsonThe last exercise in the civil nuclear emergency planning programme took place on 7 November 2002 based on Chapelcross Power Station. Previously this year, exercises have also taken place based on Sizewell B on 25 September 2002, Hunterston B on 26 June 2002, Bradwell on 10 May 2002, Capenhurst on 26 April 2002, and Dungeness on 27 March 2002. All of these exercises were designed to test off-site arrangements and involved relevant local and national agencies. The Bradwell and Dungeness exercises were the major national exercises for 2002–03 and 2001–02 respectively.
Costs of exercises have generally been met by the individual responding organisations which see participation as part of their normal preparations to deal with an emergency. Information on budgets and costs are not collected or collated centrally, nor in many cases identified as a separate item. A report is prepared on the outcome of each exercise. Final reports on these exercises are routinely forwarded to the Libraries of the House.