HC Deb 08 March 1984 vol 55 cc704-5W
Mr. Frank Cook

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what monitoring facilities will be employed when assessing the proposals for the dumping of radioactive waste in Billingham and Elstow.

Mr. Waldegrave

Any proposals put forward will be evaluated by the authorising Departments — including the Radiochemical Inspectorate — in the light of the assessment principles to be published by the Government. These principles, which are currently the subject of consultation, will cover the need for adequate environmental monitoring. It is, however, impossible to prescribe detailed monitoring arrangements for a particular site until specific proposals for that site have been formulated by the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive.

Mr. Frank Cook

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his national strategy regarding the treatment and packaging of radioactive waste.

Mr. Waldegrave

The conclusions from the initial work carried out by my Department in developing the national strategy for the management of radioactive wastes were reflected in the White Paper "Radioactive Waste Management"—Cmnd. 8607—published in July 1982. Further aspects of the strategy will be covered in the series of radioactive waste management information notes published by my Department. The first of these, "Packaging radioactive wastes", appeared in in 1982, and I have placed copies in the Library of the House. Others are in preparation.

Mr. Frank Cook

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria will be used to determine measures to be taken to offset the adverse impact on the local economy of Billingham by the siting of a radioactive waste dump.

Mr. Waldegrave

Although the Billingham anhydrite mine has been named as a potentially suitable site by the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive, no planning application has been received by the local authority. It is therefore too early to attempt to assess the impact, if any, on the local economy of the use of the mine for the disposal of radioactive waste.