HC Deb 18 June 1985 vol 81 cc72-3W
Mr. Freud

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the reduction in (a) the number and (b) the percentage of arts and humanities student places in higher education required to achieve a net increase in the output of science and engineering graduates of (i) 1 per cent. (ii) 100 and (iii) 1,000 assuming that student numbers and expenditure on higher education remain constant overall for (x) higher education as a whole, (y) polytechnics and (z) universities.

Sir Keith Joseph

[pursuant to his reply, 10 June 1985, c. 338–40]: The information there provided was not in the form indicated in the question. The information in that form is as follow:

Stage 3 Complete dismantling of the plant and site clearance for unrestricted use.

Mr. Ashdown

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of decommissioning and dismantling (a) the Dounreay fast reactor and (b) the Windscale advanced gas-cooled reactor; and how many years will elapse in each case before clearance to a green field state.

Mr. Goodlad

Stage 1 of the Dounreay fast reactor decommissioning programme will be completed in about one year. All the secondary circuit sodium-potassium alloy coolant has been removed, treated and disposed of and all radioactive facilities outside the containment sphere, with the exception of the fuel storage pond, have also been dismantled and removed. There are no firm plans at present to take decommissioning beyond stage 1.

Defuelling of the Windscale AGR was completed in 1983. Preparations for decommissioning the reactor and associated nuclear plant, including the heat exchangers, are now in an advanced stage of planning and will start in 1989. Current plans envisage clearance of the site to stage 3 by 1995; non-radioactive facilities and services buildings will be retained for future use. The project is being undertaken as a demonstration which will provide valuable experience in support of the decommissioning of reactors in the UK civil nuclear power programme.