§ Mr. John EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, regarding storage of radioactive waste for which there is presently no disposal site available, whether it is Government policy that radioactive waste shall be stored at the site at which the waste is created in the case of Crown-exempt nuclear operators including the Ministry of Defence.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyWaste should be safely stored in an appropriate place where it is created or elsewhere. This Department has no statutory control over the storage by Crown-exempt operators such as the Ministry of Defence. However, they have agreed to observe practices no less stringent than those subject to statutory control.
§ Mr. John EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) regarding storage of radioactive waste for which there is presently no disposal site available, whether it is Government policy that radioactive waste shall be stored at the site at which the waste is created;
(2) regarding storage of radioactive waste for which there is presently no disposal site available, whether Government policy allows for the transfer of radioactive waste from one storage facility to another;
(3) what is the Government's policy on the storage of radioactive nuclear waste for which there is, at present, no disposal facility available.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 25 May 1989]: The Government's policy is that wherever such waste is stored it must be safe. This may be at the site where it is created or elsewhere. The safe transport from one storage facility to another is not precluded.