§ Mr. Frank Cookasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the answer of 31 January, Official Report, column 652, he has yet received an explanation from British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. as to why on Thursday 23 January it chose to discharge this material into the Irish sea in preference to any other options that may have been open to it; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveYes; a report was received within two weeks of the event. I am satisfied that British Nuclear Fuels considered a number of options before discharging 275W uranium-bearing liquid waste to the Irish sea, and that a safe and environmentally acceptable procedure was adopted.
§ Mr. Frank Cookasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the discharge from Sellafield on 23 January contravened in any respect any part of the authorisation limits for the site as they applied at the date of the discharge; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI am advised that the discharge from Sellafield on 23 January did not contravene any limit or condition contained in either of the authorisations granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and by my Department relating to the discharge of liquid waste containing radioactive materials by British Nuclear Fuels.