Nuclear Materials (Hansard, 22 March 1989)

§ Ms. Ruddock
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford, 7 February,Official Report, column 613, he will make it his policy to publish the final version of the review report on the international transport of nuclear materials to coincide with its consideration at the standing advisory group of the International Atomic Energy Agency in April.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
The review report is an internal International Atomic Energy Agency document. Publication is therefore a matter for the International Atomic Energy Agency.

§ Ms. Ruddock
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the national arrangements involving radioactivity scheme does not apply to emergency procedures involving the rail transport or road transport of spent nuclear fuel.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
Emergency procedures to deal specifically with incidents involving nuclear fuel flasks have been provided and are administered by the Central Electricity Generating Board in England and Wales and the South of Scotland electricity board in Scotland.

§ Ms. Ruddock
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all rail accidents involving trains carrying spent nuclear fuel, by date and place; and if any radioactivity has been released from any flask or container involved in a rail accident since such transport began.
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§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
No incident involving a nuclear fuel flask in transit has led to a release of radioactivity since this traffic was started 30 years ago. From time to time there have been minor incidents, usually involving empty flasks. These are of no radiological significance. The Department does not keep statistics on them.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy at the European Council of Transport Ministers in Brussels on 14 March to propose a study of the safety of road, rail and air transport of plutonium, enriched uranium, tritium and spent nuclear fuel within and from the European Community.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
No such study is needed. The transport of radioactive materials is required to comply with international standards laid down by United Nations bodies. The regulations are kept under continuous review.