Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all grants from the European Economic Community by amount awarded, date awarded and project for which award was made, in the period 1979 to the most recent date for which information is available towards the development of landfill sites for toxic and hazardous wastes in the United Kingdom; and what was the total awarded over the same period to other European Economic Community member states.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI know of no grants from the EEC for the development of landfill sites for toxic and hazardous waste in the United Kingdom since 1979 nor do I have information on such grants to other member states.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any studies have been undertaken by his Department, or consultants to his Department, or have been brought to the attention of his Department by RWMAC or Her Majesty's pollution inspectorate, on the effect on metal, concrete and glass containers designed to isolate nuclear wastes of the microbes, gallionella, thiobacillus, thiobacillus ferro-oxidans, and the fungi asperigullus and penicillum.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyYes. Studies continue to be conducted in the United Kingdom as part of the DOE programme and overseas, into the possible effects of micro-organisms on the performance of radioactive waste repositories.
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the immunity of repository containment barriers to geomicrobiological degradation.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleySome substances produced by microbes may be capable of degrading repository containment barriers. Investigations continue to establish the existence of such organisms and their significance.