§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total volume of aggregate radioactive waste produced by his Department or arising from activities conducted on behalf of his Department by British Nuclear Fuels and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority since the military nuclear programme began; and what provisions have been made for the disposal of these wastes.
§ Mr. NeubertIt would not be in the national interest to disclose figures in the form in which the hon. Member seeks them. I can, however, assure the hon. Member that:
- wastes were disposed of in the past under conditions no less stringent than those then prevailing for civil wastes;
- (b) Ministry of Defence disposals to the Drigg site in Cumbria are now published by British Nuclear Fuels plc;
- (c) United Kingdom Nirex Ltd. has stated (in the United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory) that wastes arising from military operations will add no more the 20 per cent. to its published total of civil arising to the year 2030; and
- (d) military wastes which cannot be sent for disposal under current regulation will, in common with civil wastes, be consigned to the national radioactive waste centre once it commences operation.