Nuclear Safety (Hansard, 25 May 1993)

§ Mr. Ainger
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the revised timetable for the long-term safety review of nuclear reactors by the nuclear installations inspectorate.

§ Mr. Eggar
The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate has so far published reports of its findings on six power stations. It intends to publish a report on the generic issues arising out of the long-term safety reviews (LTSRs) of Magnox stations later this year. Important modifications to plant at all the Magnox stations have been or are being implemented. The NII has requested the licensees to give priority to these generic safety concerns so that action is taken without waiting for completion of individual station's LTSRs. Brief reports on the remaining five stations should then be available before the end of 1994.

§ Mr. Llew Smith
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) when he received the 1991–92 report of his advisory committee on the safety of nuclear installations; and what action he plans to take in response to its recommendations;
(2) when he received a copy of the third report of the advisory committee on the safety of nuclear installations study group on human factors.
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§ Mr. Eggar
I received copies of the biennial report of the Health and Safety Commission's Advisory Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (ACSNI), and of a report from its study group on human factors, on Monday 17 May, the day of their publication. The biennial report contains no recommendations as such, but I have noted the areas of work which ACSNI has undertaken in 1991–1992 and have also been informed about the committee's forward programme for 1993.

§ Mr. Bowden
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to seek an international convention to harmonise the safety standards of nuclear reactors.

§ Mr. Eggar
The Government welcome the discussions taking place at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna on a proposed international nuclear safety convention, and hopes these can be concluded as soon as possible. The convention should be based on general principles of nuclear safety and should be aimed at improving the safety of civil nuclear power reactors world wide.

§ Mr. Bowden
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to increase the resources of the International Atomic Energy Agency for the implementa-tion of programmes for improving safety in the nuclear industries of the countries of central and eastern Europe.

§ Mr. Eggar
Major funding for projects to improve nuclear safety in the countries of central and eastern Europe is being provided through bilateral assistance programmes co-ordinated by G24, and through the multilateral fund, established as an initiative of the G7 July 1992 Munich summit. The Government are playing a full part in these programmes and recently made a contribution of £8.25 million to the fund. The Government consider that the resources currently available to the International Atomic Energy Agency are broadly consistent with the distinctive contribution the agency is able to make in the area, both through its own specific programmes and the quality of its technical advice to others.