§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many incidents involving the reportable release of radiation from British Nuclear Fuels' Sellafield site have taken place since 1979; and what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to improve(a) safety and (b) speed of reporting of accidents at Sellafield to the appropriate authorities.
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§ Mr. MacleanCurrent criteria for reporting incidents at nuclear sites were most recently revised by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy on 30 April 1987,Official Report, column 203.
Information about reportable incidents prior to November 1986 is not immediately available. Since then, my Department has recorded four reportable incidents involving off-site releases of radioactivity from the BNF Sellafield site. A statement of reportable incidents at nuclear sites is published quarterly by the nuclear installations inspectorate, and copies are held in the House Library.
- (a) Responsibility for the safety of nuclear licensed sites is a matter for the operator. The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate ensures compliance with nuclear site licence conditions, and has a range of measures available to rectify and failure to meet the high standards of safety it requires.
- (b) The Goodlad criteria, which are reviewed periodically, stipulate that incidents shall be reported within 24 hours.