§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what quantity of(a) low and (b) intermediate-level waste is in Scotland awaiting disposal or transfer to Sellafield at present;
(2) what quantity of (a) low and (b) intermediate-level nuclear waste has been (i) exported from and (ii) imported into Scotland on an annual basis since 1985.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonWith the exception of a small quantity of waste at BNF plc's Chapelcross works, I am not aware of any nuclear waste in Scotland awaiting transfer to Sellafield. All Scottish nuclear establishments other than Dounreay are authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to dispose of low-level radioactive waste to BNF plc for burial and the company's facilities at Drigg, Cumbria. Details of these authorisations and the quantities of waste disposal of under their terms may be found in : "Radioactive waste disposal from nuclear sites in Scotland, 1984–1988"—SDD statistical bulletin No. 1(E) 1990—copies of which are in the Library.
From time to time, waste is transferred between United Kingdom nuclear establishments. Such transfers are made under the terms of authorisation granted by the appropriate territorial Department but records are not kept centrally. There have been no overseas imports or exports of nuclear waste.