§ Mr. Dodsworthasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total capacity of each nuclear plant in the United Kingdom for the storage of radioactive waste.
§ Mr. BennRadioactive waste which arises from the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel is stored at Windscale and Dounreay. The capacity available at these sites for waste which requires highly specialised storage arrangements totals about 13,000 cubic metres including the tanks used for the storage of high-activity liquid waste. Some 17,000 cubic metres of storage facilities are also available at nuclear power stations for the storage pending disposal of waste associated with station operations. In addition, variable quantities of low-activity waste are stored under appropriate conditions at a number of sites. All storage arrangements on licensed nuclear sites are approved by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive.
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§ Mr. Dodsworthasked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of radioactive waste at present being stored in plants throughout the United Kingdom contains plutonium.
§ Mr. BennAlmost all the radioactive waste arising from the handling of plutonium or from the handling and reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel contains traces of plutonium. The bulk of this waste is stored at British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.'s licensed nuclear sites at Windscale and Drigg. Although it is not practicable to give a precise figure I am advised that about 30 per cent. of the total radioactive waste at present in store in the United Kingdom contains traces of plutonium.
§ Mr. Dodsworthasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether radioactive waste has been found to have leaked at the Drigg storage plant in Cumbria; and if he will make a statement on action subsequently taken.
§ Mr. BennA few of the steel drums containing low-activity solid radioactive waste in storage facilities at British Nuclear Fuels Ltd's (BNFL) licensed nuclear site at Drigg have leaked due to corrosion, but I am advised that there has been no release of radioactivity outside the concrete storage building and no hazard to the public. The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive has approved a refurbishment programme proposed by BNFL to overcome the problem and the inspectorate will maintain strict surveillance.