§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what arrangements are in hand for the return to West Germany of waste arising from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel from Wachersdorf;
(2) if he will give details of the nuclear waste reprocessing contract between Sellafield and the Federal Republic of West Germany in respect of the Wachersdorf plant; and what discussions he has had with the German Government on safety standards at Sellafield.
§ Mr. BaldryI have been asked to reply.
I understand from British Nuclear Fuels plc that the new reprocessing contracts with the Federal German electricity utilities will bring in some £750 million of business to the company. These contracts are for reprocessing spent fuel, not nuclear waste.
In line with all BNFL's overseas reprocessing contracts signed since 1976, these contracts contain options for the return of wastes arising. The Government intend that such options should be exercised and that wastes should be returned.
Exchange of information agreements exist between the nuclear regulatory authorities in the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany. Nuclear safety standards in the Federal Republic are in line with those in the United Kingdom.