HC Deb 06 June 1989 vol 154 cc36-7W
Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how far the refurbishment of the Harwell reactor has progressed following the July 1987 plan set out for refurbishment.

Mr. Michael Spicer

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority informs me that the refurbishment programme for the nuclear research reactors at Harwell is reviewed annually. The current programme has been amended to take account of the closure of the PLUTO reactor in March 1990. This amended programme has been approved by Harwell's reactor safety committee and will be discussed with the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate.

Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how long it is proposed to store Harwell reactors sea dump barrels containing intermediate level waste in their present condition; and what plans there are to make them safer.

Mr. Michael Spicer

Drums of radioactive wastes prepared for the 1983 sea disposal operation will continue to be stored in a safe condition and will be prepared for eventual disposal in the deep facility for low and intermediate level wastes which Nirex has been asked to develop.

Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many workers at Harwell reactors exceeded the radiation dosages of(a) 15mSv and (b) 50mSv; and what was the average dose of those working in the reactor area alone;

(2) what measures are being taken to ensure that doses received by the Harwell work force and local population are as low as reasonably possible; and what dose levels Harwell is working towards achieving.

Mr. Michael Spicer

Details of the radiation exposures incurred by Harwell staff are published annually in the UKAEA report on radiological protection and occupational health.

The UKAEA seeks to keep doses to the lowest reasonably practicable level. From 1 January 1988 it set an upper limit on individual dose of 30mSv per year, which is not normally to be exceeded except in cases of extreme occupational necessity. No one on the Harwell reactor site exceeded this level in 1988.

Exposure of the public to discharges of radioactive wastes from Harwell is monitored routinely and the monitoring results and dose estimates published annually in the Harwell laboratory report on radioactive discharges and environmental monitoring. I am arranging for copies of this report and the report on radiological protection and occupational health to be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if there are any plans to improve the current state of the effluent treatment works at Harwell; and what mechanisms exist to shut down the flow of effluent into the Thames in the event of it exceeding waste safety levels;

(2) what measures have been taken to ensure that discharges and waste from the Harwell reactors in the river Thames are below the new general derived limits in the NRPB document GS-8.

Mr. Michael Spicer

The liquid effluent treatment plant is maintained in a condition which enables it to meet the requirements imposed by the relevant discharge consents issued by the Department of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The measured effect of these discharges is typically between 5 per cent. and 10 per cent. of NRPB general derived limits. Treated effluent is stored for analysis and is not discharged unless it complies with the requirements of the consents.

Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when a detailed inventory of the Harwell reactor core will be made available to the public.

Mr. Michael Spicer

This information has already been made available in a letter to Dr. P. Taylor of the political ecology research group associated with Oxford city council, a copy of which is being placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he plans to publish the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate safety audit of Harwell.

Mr. Michael Spicer

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that 1 gave him on 31 January at column156.

Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the route of the waste pipelines from the Harwell reactors to the Thames will be made public.

Mr. Michael Spicer

I understand that information about the route of the pipeline is made available upon request, by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority as required to avoid accidental damage to the pipeline.