§ Mr. Frank Cookasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sites in Scotland are licensed for the disposal of radioactive wastes; what is the exact location 518W of each site; who owns the sites; when their current licences are due for renewal; and whether any of the sites that have been licensed are as yet unused.
§ Mr. AncramIn Scotland disposals of these wastes have to be authorised by my right hon. Friend under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. The disposal of certain low activity wastes, rising mainly from medical establishments, research institutes and universities, is authorised at 11 sites in Aberdeen, Clackmannan, Dundee, East Kilbride, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kirkcaldy, Stirling and Strathkelvin. All the sites are owned or managed by district councils, which are waste disposal authorities in Scotland. Authorisations in most cases do not require renewal, and according to the information available to me all the sites are at present in use. The use of all of these sites has been the subject of consultations with the relevant local authorities and the methods of disposal followed by them are as outlined in the booklet "Radioactive Substances Act 1960: A guide to the administration of the Act" as published in 1982.