§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce)Official Report, 28 February, column 194, what are the reasons why low-level radioactive waste from outside the nuclear industry is stored for interim periods at Harwell; what storage charges per kilogramme of waste are made; and whether these vary over time of store.
§ Mr. TrippierLow-level radioactive waste is currently stored at Harwell as part of the commercial activities of AEA Technology. Such storage is not subject to regulation796W by this Department. Questions relating to storage costs at Harwell are matters for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of Slate for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce),Official Report, 28 February, column 194, whether the data received by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on the volume of wastes accumulated are publicly available; and what plans there are to update the 1987 United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory to which he refers.
§ Mr. TrippierThis Department does not maintain a central record of local accumulations of radioactive waste authorised by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. Records of such accumulations are kept by individual operators and are subject to scrutiny by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution inspectors but are not publicly available.
The 1989 United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory is in preparation and expected to be issued in about three months. A copy will be placed in the Library.