§ 35. Mr. FranksTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the contribution made to the west Cumbrian economy by British Nuclear Fuels plc at Sellafield.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerBritish Nuclear Fuels plc makes a major contribution to the economy of west Cumbria, and the capital investment programme for Sellafield will86W amount to some £4 billion by the end of the century. The company currently employs some 7,200 people at the site, while those employed there by contractors is expected to rise from the current level of some 6,000 to some 8,000 by 1991. In recent years, BNFL spent an average of £1 million a year on major schemes to help the local community. The company has recently committed itself to contribute £1 million a year over the next 10 years to a fund with local authorities and other local companies to promote new and expanding businesses in the area.
§ 48. Mr. ArbuthnotTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the statistics for nuclear discharges into the Irish sea from the British Nuclear Fuels site at Sellafield for each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerDischarges to the Irish sea from Sellafield between 1983 and 1987 (the latest year for which figures are currently available) were as follows:
Alpha (terabecquerels) Beta (terabecquerels) 1983 14 2,489 1984 14 1,190 1985 6 587 1986 4.4 118 1987 2.2 89