§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what options his Department has considered for the disposal of reactors and radioactive waste material following the decommissioning of nuclear-powered submarines; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe options which have been considered for disposal of the reactor machinery are sea disposal of the entire submarine, land burial of the intact reactor compartment and cutting the reactor plant into small pieces for storage and eventual disposal in a deep site yet to be developed. No decisions have yet been taken about which option should be chosen. The safety and environmental implications of these options will, of course, form part of the Government's deliberations. Any other radioactive waste material will be disposed of in the normal way to Drigg, if suitable for shallow land disposal, or stored pending the development of a deep disposal facility. The spent uranium fuel will be sent to BNFL Sellafield for storage.