§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Energy what arrangements are currently made for disposing of waste from the reprocessing of nuclear fuel from overseas; if any plans exist to extend these facilities either on the same or at a different site; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GoodladSince 1976 BNFL's contracts for the reprocessing of overseas spent fuel have contained options for the return of wastes. 'The Government intend that reprocessing contracts with overseas customers should continue to contain such options, that the options should be exercised and that the wastes should be returned. It is already planned to return all high level wastes as soon as practicable after vitrification, but in respect of some of the 501W less radioactive wastes there may be other options worthy of study—for example, whether it would be sensible to substitute an equivalent quantity, in radiological terms, of higher level wastes.
Low level waste which has already arisen under BNFL's pre-1976 contracts has been disposed of at Drigg: high level waste and intermediate level waste is in storage pending further processing before final disposal in the United Kingdom. Wastes arising in future under these contracts will similarly be disposed of in accordance with our national waste strategy. All wastes arising under the pre-1976 overseas contracts will represent no more than 10 per cent. of total wastes arising in the United Kingdom by 2000. No facilities in addition to those needed for the disposal of United Kingdom waste should be required.