HC Deb 02 February 1987 vol 109 cc493-4W
Dr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish a list of the estimated maximum exposures to radiation of any member of the public from any possible combination of exposure pathways for each licensed nuclear installation, expressed in millisieverts; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if he will publish a table showing for each licensed nuclear installation (a) when the date certificates of authorisation for radioactive discharges were last issued, (b) whether such certificates contain numerical limits for all types of radioactive discharges, (c) when habits surveys relating to all possible pathways of significant radiation exposure of members of the public were last undertaken, (d) when detailed studies of possible individual membership of more than one critical group were last undertaken and (e) whether review work for new certificates of authorisation following Cmnd. 9852 has been started; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave

I will write to the hon. Member.

Dr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what professional staff in his Department are engaged in the programme of reviewing certificates of authorisation for radioactive discharges following Cmnd. 9852; whether such staff are only engaged in review work for installations in England; whether the individuals concerned have other duties; what other organisations are involved in the review work; if he will publish a timetable for issuing the new certificates for each nuclear installation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave

Officers of Her Majesty's Radiochemical Inspectorate are engaged in the programme of reviewing certificates of authorisation on my behalf. These officers are engaged only in review work for installations in England but will participate in reviews of Welsh installations as requested by the Secretary of State for Wales. These officers have a range of other duties including regulation of discharges under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 and the inspection of premises. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is also involved in the review work. As stated in paragraph 63 of Cmnd. 9852, it is our aim to complete the review of liquid and gaseous authorisations for all nuclear installations in the United Kingdom within three years. It is not practicable to publish a timetable for issuing new certificates.