HC Deb 28 April 1993 vol 223 cc427-8W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the annual discharge of radioactivity from Sellafield since 1979 in terms of(a) solids, (b) aqueous and (c) airborne releases; and if he will make a statement on the cumulative total of radioactivity currently stored in site at Sellafield.

Mr. Maclean

Information on discharges of radioactivity from Sellafield can be found in BNFL's "Annual Reports on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment", copies of which are in the Library of the House.

in each year were referred to his Department for arbitration following protests from members of the public; and how many of these resulted in (i) the footpath being closed and (ii) the footpath remaining open.

Mr. Maclean

Details of the number of public path extinguishment orders made and confirmed under section 257 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 are set out in the table. The information relates only to England and Wales as the provisions of the 1990 Act do not apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland.

11991 11992
Confirmed by Authority 42 35
Confirmed by Secretary of State 4 1
Not confirmed by Secretary of State 1 0
Outcome as yet unknown2 37 69
1 This information relates to the closure of both footpaths and bridleways.
2 These Orders have yet to be decided, or have been deferred or abandoned.

Mr. Gerrard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many public footpaths in the United Kingdom were closed under paragraph 2A of schedule 6 to the Highways Act 1980 in each year since 1982; how many proposals to close public footpaths in the United Kingdom under paragraph 2A of schedule 6 to the Highways Act 1980 were referred to his Department for arbitration following protests from members of the public in each year since 1982; and how many of these resulted in (i) the footpath being closed and (ii) the footpath remaining open.

Mr. Maclean

Details of the number of public path extinguishment orders made and confirmed under section 118 of the Highways Act 1980 are set out in the table. The information relates only to England and Wales as the provisions of the 1980 Act do not apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland.

The storage of radioactive waste on site is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.