Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what are the relevant international standards and regulations governing the transportation of radioactive materials mentioned in the reply of 6 May by the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, North (Mr. Stewart), Official Report, c. 163;
(2) if he will publish the details of the safety regulations applied to the transportation of radioactive materials referred to in the reply of 6 May by the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, North (Mr. Stewart), Official Report, c. 161.
§ Mr. StanleyIt is not the practice to publish the details of the safety regulations which are applied to the transport of military nuclear material within the United Kingdom. However, they are designed to be fully consistent with the relevant national and international civil regulations for the movement of radioactive materials, which are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.
Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for Defence how much nuclear waste was contracted by the Government with British Rail each month in the last three years and at what cost; and what is the purpose of the contract.
§ Mr. StanleyContracts with British Rail for the disposal of certain types of radioactive waste deemed suitable for sea disposal are made by the UKAEA, now on behalf of the Nuclear Industries Radioactive Waste Executive (NIREX). This is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. If, however, my hon. Friend is referring to irradiated fuel elements from the nuclear submarine programme it has been the policy of successive Governments on security grounds not to release information on the methods and routes used for the transport of such defence nuclear materials.