§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many replies he has received to his recent advertisement for contractors interested in contracting for work in the Carrick Forest research area in connection with the nuclear waste research programme; and how many of these replies were from Scotland.
§ Mr. KingOf the replies to the advertisement about the radioactive waste management research programme for 1982–83, 17 were from bodies interested in carrying out geological fieldwork. Of these, four—three based in Scotland—have expressed interest specifically in research on crystalline rock, of which the Carrick Forest area is one example. As was made clear, any research which involves test drilling will be dependent on the necessary planning consents being obtained.