HC Deb 03 June 1986 vol 98 cc511-3W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the answer to the hon. and learned Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Lye11) of 12 May, Official Report, column 358, he will set out the total volume of each category of nuclear waste, by source, arising if the reprocessing of foreign spent fuel were deferred until 2030.

Mrs. Rumbold

I refer the hon. Member to table 2 of the report on the "Assessment of Best Practicable Environmental Options for Management of Low—and Intermediate-level solid Radioactive Wastes." In column 3, about 75 per cent. of waste arising from oxide fuel reprocessing and about 5 per cent. of the waste arising from Magnox fuel reprocessing is associated with the reprocessing of foreign spent fuel. If the reprocessing of foreign spent fuel were deferred until 2030 the figures in column 3 would be reduced accordingly.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby of 12 May, Official Report, column 357, if low and intermediate-level waste produced from the reprocessing of spent thermal oxide fuel from West Germany has been returned to West Germany, what was done with the plutonium separated out from that fuel; and if he will make it his policy to send back all low and intermediate-level waste to those countries from whose thermal oxide fuel it arose in reprocessing.

Mrs. Rumbold

The low and intermediate-level waste arising from the reprocessing of German oxide fuel in the early 1970s has not been returned to West Germany, but the plutonium has. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 6 May, at column 61, regarding the return of waste from the reprocessing of overseas contracts.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Department's test study of the geology suitable for nuclear waste disposal was abandoned; why it was abandoned; if he will publish the evidence so far acquired; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

The Minister for Local Government and Environment Services announced on 16 December 1981, at columns 171–72, that the feasibility of disposing of heat-generating wastes in geological formations had been established; and that in consequence the United Kingdom programme of exploratory drilling in respect of these wastes was being halted. The results of the drilling that had taken place at Altnabreac in Caithness have been published by the British Geological Survey of the Natural Environment Research Council in 36 reports in the environmental protection unit and fluid processes research group reports series, and copies were placed in the British National Library, Boston Spa.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the basis of his statement to the Environment Committee that 15 per cent. of United Kingdom geology was suitable for disposal of dangerous radioactive waste; whether he will publish the studies on which this statement was based; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

I refer the hon. Member to a paper by Mather JD, Gray DA, and Greenwood, PB, entitled "Review of geological criteria and site selection for high-level radioactive waste repositories in the United Kingdom. Proceedings of Symposium on the Underground Disposal of Radioactive Waste, Otaniemi, Finland, 2–6 July 1979". Paper IAEA-SM-243/29, which has been published.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the permission given to NIREX in the special development order to initiate geological explorations also extends to contractors employed by NIREX; what supervision NIREX is required to exercise; and what arrangements ensure in the event of the financial failure of a contractor.

Mrs. Rumbold

The special development order permits geological investigations to be carried out by or on behalf of NIREX. NIREX would be expected to ensure that work carried out on its behalf was within the terms of the order. Financial arrangements are a matter for NIREX.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment who will be responsible for paying the Anglian water authority for work necessary for the assessment of the suitability of the four sites being surveyed for suitability as nuclear dumps.

Mrs. Rumbold

This is a matter for the Anglian water authority and NIREX.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date NIREX appointed consultants to investigate the geology of the four sites for nuclear dumps under the special development order; when contracts were signed; and on what basis payments are to be made.

Mrs. Rumbold

This is a matter for NIREX.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the total of radioactive waste disposed of at Drigg arose from the activities of the civil nuclear power industry and medical research.

Mrs. Rumbold

In 1984, the latest year for which figures are available, the proportions by volume of wastes disposed of at Drigg, by source, are:

per cent.
Civil nuclear power industry (CEGB and SSEB) 8
BNFL 78
Others (including medical research) 14

From 1987, when BNFL has announced its intention to compact its waste before disposal at Drigg, an overall volume reduction to one third of its wastes is likely to be achieved.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information was made available to him by NIREX about the aquifers below the clay at the South Killingholme site; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

Only a general indication of the geological strata below the South Killingholme site has been provided so far. Further information will come from the site investigations to be carried out by UK NIREX Ltd.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that no nuclear waste resulting from reprocessing of spent thermal oxide nuclear fuel will be dumped in any new disposal sites.

Mrs. Rumbold

No.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Anglian water authority expressing its concern about the disposal of radioactive waste in shallow bored trenches above aquifers.

Mrs. Rumbold

The board is naturally concerned that any near-surface facility should not have an adverse effect on water supplies. The chairman has written to me, however, acknowledging that no informed view of this possibility can be taken until the detailed investigations sanctioned by the special development order have been carried out. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that if it seems likely that the integrity of the water supply would be compromised no planning permission will be given.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make available the survey work and suitability studies carried out by the Central Electricity Generating Board on the site of South Killingholme when it was being considered for a nuclear or conventional power station.

Mr. Goodlad

I have been asked to reply.

I have asked the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to write to the hon. Member.