HC Deb 14 December 1992 vol 216 cc29-30W
Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what number of shipments of plutonium nitrate have taken place from Dounreay to Sellafield since April 1988; what routes have been taken; and what safety assessment his Department has made.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

There have been eight shipments using the route from Thurso by road to Scrabster then by sea to Workington and by road to Sellafield, in flasks approved by the Department in 1979: this approval has been renewed every three years since then.

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what internal reviews his Department has conducted or commissioned into the criteria developed to assess the standards of integrity of transport containers developed to carry plutonium to and from the United Kingdom.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

No such internal reviews have been carried out. Staff from the Department's radioactive materials transport division have represented the United Kingdom in the International Atomic Energy Agencys review of the transport of plutonium by air.

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what immersion tests have been conducted by his Department on the casks designed to transport plutonium by sea;

(2) if he will place in the Library details of validity tests undertaken by his Department's laboratories on the standards recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency for type A and type B packages, respectively for the carriage of nuclear materials.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

The Department does not undertake regulatory test work on packages; this is the responsibility of the consignors. The Departments role is to assess test results for compliance with the appropriate regulations.

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department receives routinely on the transport into, within and from the United Kingdom of unsafeguarded military plutonium; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Aitken

I have been asked to reply.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is responsible for matters concerning the transport of radioactive materials for military purposes. I have therefore been asked to reply. My Department is kept fully informed of movements of all such materials, including military plutonium into, within and from the United Kingdom. Transport is carried out using containers which are designed, manufactured and tested in complete conformity with the appropriate International Atomic Energy Agency regulations.