HC Deb 15 March 1994 vol 239 c579W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he has taken of recent resolutions of the Dail, relating to environmental risks posed by THORP; and what meetings or communications he has had with his Irish counterpart on THORP and Sellafield.

Mr. Atkins

I refer the hon. Member to my answers given to him on Thursday 20 January,Official Report, column 827; Wednesday 2 February, Official Report, column 794; Friday 11 February 1994, Official Report, column 508; and to my answer given to the hon. Members for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) and for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on Monday 29 November, Official Report, columns 385–86.

I have noted the motion of the Dail of 2 March 1994.

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) of 15 December,Official Report, column 1098, if all contracts to reprocess foreign spent fuel in THORP at Sellafield contain stipulations requiring the return of all radioactive wastes to countries of origin.

Mr. Atkins

My right hon. Friend was referring to BNFL's proposals for waste substitution in respect of those contracts with overseas customers which include options for the return of waste to the country of origin.

As was made clear in the "Statement of Government Policy on Reprocessing and Operation of the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant at Sellafield", published in August last year, BNFL has such options in respect of all overseas spent fuel contracted for since 1976. The

Rent assessment committee decisions in appeal cases in Wandsworth
1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93
Number of cases 304 631 559 339
13 39 25 31
Number of cases where rent was decreased (4 per cent.) (6 per cent.) (4 per cent.) (9 per cent.)
53 124 76 24
Number of cases where rent remained the same (17 per cent.) (20 per cent.) (14 per cent.) (7 per cent.)
238 468 458 284
Number of cases where rent was increased (78 per cent.) (74 per cent.) (82 per cent.) (84 per cent.)
Mean rent officer's current rent (£pa) 1,442 1,911 1,8,771 2,234
Mean rent assessment committee's determined rent (£pa) 1,573 2,059 1,941 2,442
Mean change to rent officer's rent 10 per cent. 7 per cent. 10 per cent. 10 per cent.