§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the public inquiry resulting from the site investigations undertaken by Nirex include full consideration of national policy on radioactive waste management.
§ Mr. TrippierDecisions have yet to be taken as to the matters to be considered at the public inquiry into Nirex's planned respository for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste. Before the inquiry begins, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will set out the matters which appear to him to be relevant to his consideration of the application based on the information available to him at the time. The inspector appointed to preside over the inquiry will also have discretion to consider any other factors which he feels to be relevant.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will require Nirex to implement the recommendations made by the panel on the evaluation of the UK Nirex Ltd. programmes on deep repository post-closure safety research and development and site assessment that met in June 1989.
§ Mr. TrippierI refer the hon. Member to the answer which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy gave the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 21 May 1990,Official Report, column 11.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to consider(a) alternative methods of radioactive waste management, and (b) alternative sites, as part of the environmental impact assessment of the proposed Nirex repository.
§ Mr. TrippierThis is a matter for UK Nirex Ltd. The requirements for an environmental assessment with which Nirex will need to comply are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988.