Radioactive Waste (Hansard, 6 December 1994)

§ Mr. Betts
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a White Paper before introducing legislation based on proposals contained in the consultation paper, "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Preliminary Conclusions".

§ Mr. Atkins
The only specific proposals for legislative change were those in paragraph 194 of the consultation document, relating to the regulatory powers of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The necessary amendments to the Radioactive Substance Act 1993 have been included in the Environment Bill, which received its First Reading on Thursday 1 December in another place.

§ Mr. Betts
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his timetable for acting upon recommendations contained in the consultation document, "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Preliminary Conclusions".

§ Mr. Atkins
A statement of future policy will be made in due course.

§ Mr. Betts
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether local authorities, the Local Authorities Waste Disposal Contractors Association or private owners of refuse tips will have the right to refuse radioactive waste from authorised disposers under proposals contained in the consultation document, "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Preliminary Conclusions".

§ Mr. Atkins
Under section 18 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993, local authorities have a duty to accept radioactive waste for controlled burial if the regulatory bodies authorise disposal to sites provided by them. The consultation document contained no proposals to alter or extend this duty.

§ Mr. Betts
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the differences between proposals contained in the consultation document, "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Preliminary Conclusions", with regard to the disposal of radioactive waste from the nuclear industry, and the proposals considered in 1987 for the disposal of such waste at four sites; and what considerations underlay the decision to withdraw the 1987 proposals.

§ Mr. Atkins
The four sites referred to were investigated by UK Nirex Ltd. to ascertain their suitability for the development of a shallow repository for radioactive waste. The consultation document's proposals in relation to near-surface disposal concern British Nuclear Fuels' existing facility at Drigg in Cumbria and the controlled burial of low-level waste in landfill sites. The decision by Nirex to end its investigations in 1987 is a matter for the company.