§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will take steps to suspend fact-finding visiting by the general public to the British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. Sellafield site until all of the safety requirements stipulated by the nuclear installations inspectorate's special safety audit are fully implemented; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GoodladArrangements for visits to the Sellafield site are the responsibility of BNFL.
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the specific access permitted to the nuclear installations inspectorate safety audit team to full records of (a) spent Magnox fuel received and (b) plutonium reprocessed each week at Sellafield from 1 June.
§ Mr. GoodladNuclear installations inspectorate may have access to any information relevant to nuclear safety.
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) which particular safety modifications of the Sellafield site, since included in the list of changes stipulated by the nuclear installations inspectorate's safety audit, have been undertaken and made known to his Department by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. since March;
(2) whether British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. had, prior to March, conveyed details to his Department of the safety problems identified by the nuclear installations inspectorate in its safety audit.
§ Mr. GoodladResponsibility for safety at nuclear sites, under both the Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974 and the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 falls on the operator. Compliance with the legislation is overseen by Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive. The safety audit of Sellafield was established by the Health and Safety Executive at the end of February 1986. My Department has received a copy of the report.
I am advised that a number of specific requirements for the improvement of plant highlighted by the nuclear installations inspectorate team and listed in the report were undertaken during the course of the audit and are now either completed or in the course of completion by British Nuclear Fuels.
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§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make available finance to British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. to support the implementation of the safety changes stipulated in the nuclear installations inspectorate's safety audit report; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GoodladFinancing the implementations of the recommendations of the nuclear installations inspectorate report is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown), Official Report, column 112, of 9 December, if he will make it his policy to publish safeguards agreements covering civil nuclear materials at Sellafield.
§ Mr. GoodladI have nothing to add to my earlier reply.