§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy, what policy considerations underlay his decision not to present evidence to the Hinkley Point C public inquiry on (a) plutonium production and end use, (b) radioactive waste management and (c) safeguarding of nuclear materials arising from Hinkley Point C, if built.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerMy right hon. Friend made an official witness available to the Hinkley Point C inquiry to provide any necessary clarification of Government policy as set out in his answer of 17 December 1987 to my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) and in the White Paper "Privatising Electricity" (Cm. 322), in particular paragraphs 44–49. Such clarification therefore formed the basis of the departmental witness's proof of evidence.
At the inquiry and in correspondence arising from his appearance, the departmental witness answered questions on a wide range of issues including on matters raised at (a) and (c) in the question.
Radioactive waste management is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment on whose behalf evidence is being separately presented to the inquiry by an official witness from the Department of the Environment.