§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the percentage of each consignment of typical spent thermal oxide nuclear fuel imported represented by (a) depleted uranium, (b) plutonium and (c) nuclear waste products.
§ Mr. WaldegraveFully irradiated thermal oxide fuel consists of approximately 96 per cent. uranium, 1 per cent. plutonium and 3 per cent. fission products and other actinides. It contains no depleted uranium.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will increase the amount of money available for all aspects of radioactive waste management research; and if he will increase the proportion of the budget that is allocated to geological studies in this respect.
§ Mr. WaldegraveMy Department is only one of the funding bodies in the United Kingdom supporting research on radioactive waste management. The nuclear industry and UK NIREX Ltd. fund research in support of their waste management operations. From a stable overall research budget, my Department will be increasing the proportion allocated to disposal of wastes in order to fulfil its regulatory function in respect of proposals from UK NIREX Ltd. for solid waste disposal.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to increase the amount of research on nuclear waste disposal and its environmental consequences which the United Kingdom contributes to international research projects on this issue.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe United Kingdom, through my Department, is an active participant in several international research projects related to radioactive waste management. Recent years have seen a steady increase in the United Kingdom contribution to the Commission of the European Communities, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and other multilateral projects. This trend is expected to continue.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he plans to increase the length of time for which funds are allocated for radioactive waste research.
§ Mr. WaldegraveContracts for research related to radioactive waste are let for whatever time is needed to550W meet the research objectives. Most contracts are for one or two years, but some cover research for up to five years when necessary.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he plans to initiate any geological fieldwork studies to complement any theoretical evidence that he may have concerning the effects of the geological environment on radio-nucleide dispersal.
§ Mr. WaldegraveMy Department has commissioned a three-year programme of geological and geochemical fieldwork studies related to movement of natural and man-made radioactivity in geological media. These studies will complement the research carried out by UK Nirex Ltd, and research in other countries. They are primarily concerned with observation of long-term processes and with testing the prediction methods used in assessing the safety of geological disposal of radioactive waste.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to commission any geological studies on the siting and construction of radioactive waste repositories.
§ Mr. WaldegraveIt is the responsibility of UK Nirex Ltd. to commission geological studies on the siting and construction of repositories for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste. My Department has a substantial research programme to support its policy and regulatory responsibilities, part of which is concerned with the safety of geological disposal radioactive wastes.
§ Dr. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish his Department's response to the remainder of the Environment Committee's report on radioactive waste.
§ Mr. RidleyAs soon as possible.