§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the potential for use of plutonium separated at the thermal oxide reprocessing plant in United Kingdom nuclear reactors; and what forecast was made in the Windscale inquiry report.
§ Mr. EggarThe use of reprocessing products arising in the thermal oxide reprocessing plant is a matter for the customers of British Nuclear Fuels plc, subject to the relevant national and international regulations. Chapter 8 of the Windscale inquiry report considered possible requirements for plutonium, should it be decided to embark upon a fast breeder reactor programme.
§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the current estimates for the cost of disposal or storage of high level waste, intermediate level waste, and low level waste produced by the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at 1993 prices; and what were the costs projected in 1993 prices in the Windscale inquiry report.
§ Mr. EggarThis is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc and its customers. No projections of costs were given in the Windscale inquiry report.
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the total employment consequences in West Cumbria of a decision to cancel THORP.
§ Mr. EggarI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Cambridge (Mrs. Campbell) on 9 July 1993,Official Report, column 309.
Mr. Hew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if, pursuant to the oral reply by the Minister for Energy to the hon. Member for Linlithgow(Mr. Dalyell) of 28 June,Official Report, column 691, he will set out the scenarios to which reference was made under which British Nuclear Fuels plc would be liable to pay compensation to customers for THORP; and if he will indicate the breakdown of the £5, 000 million compensation figure mentioned.
§ Mr. EggarI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Linlithgow on 15 July,Official Report, columns 616–17.
§ Mr. AingerTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what applications his Department has received for licences for a trial return of high level waste to an overseas customer of THORP; and what licences have been granted.
§ Mr. Eggar[holding answer 14 July 1993]I understand from British Nuclear Fuels plc that a small test sample of vitrified high-level waste from the Windscale vitrification plant has recently been delivered to Japan in accordance with the provisions of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1991.