§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has any plans to visit the radioactive waste disposal facilities at Forsmark, Sweden, Asse in West Germany and Cherbourg in France; and if he intends to meet the disposal authorities from these countries;
(2) if he intends to hold discussions with the Environment Minister of Sweden regarding the safe disposal of radioactive waste in the United Kingdom and Sweden;
(3) if he has held discussions with the Environment Minister of Sweden on the safe disposal of radioactive waste in the United Kingdom and Sweden.
§ Mr. WaldegraveMy right hon. Friend and I have separately visited Centre de la Manche near Cherbourg in France. I have also visited Forsmark. Officials of the Department have visited Asse. Members of the respective waste disposal authorities were present on these occasions. My right hon. Friend has not met, and has no current plans to meet, the Swedish Environment Minister. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and I met the Environment Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany in July and discussed, among other matters, radioactive waste management.
§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next intends to meet members of the county councils opposed to the shallow trench disposal of radioactive waste to discuss the NIREX plans.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI have no current plans for further meetings with the local authorities concerned.
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§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he intends to discuss with his fellow European Economic Commission Ministers the safe disposal of radioactive waste within the United Kingdom and the rest of the Community;
(2) if he has held discussions with his fellow European Economic Community Ministers regarding safe disposal of radioactive waste within the United Kingdom and the rest of the Community.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe most recent discussion between Environment Ministers of the European Community relating to nuclear issues was at the Council held on 24 November 1986. I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 27 November at columns 318–20 in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Staffordshire (Mr. Heddle), in which reference is made to that discussion and the prospect of further discussions.