§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements have been made for the provision of daily transcripts to be made available to(a) participants and (b) outside interested parties of the proceedings of the public inquiry into the application by UK Nirex to construct a rock characteristics laboratory in connection with its nuclear waste repository development programme which began in September in Cumbria. [36753]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe arrangements for the public inquiry into the appeal by UK Nirex Ltd. are matters for the Planning Inspectorate agency and Cumbria county council. I have asked the agency's chief executive to write separately to the hon. Member.
Letter from J. Greenfield to Mr. Llew Smith, dated 16 October 1995:
The Secretary of State for the Environment has asked the Inspectorate's Chief Executive to answer your question about arrangements for providing transcripts of the inquiry, currently being 188W held, into the application by UK Nirex Ltd for a rock characterisation facility at Sellafield. I am replying in the absence of Mr Shepley.There is no requirement in the Inquiry Procedure Rules for daily transcripts to be made available, either to participants or to interested parties. The only formal record of the proceedings is the Inspector's report to the Secretary of State which will be issued to the main parties with the decision letter.However, I understand that one of the interested parties, the National Anti-Dump Network (NAND) is making daily transcripts. Cumbria County Council has agreed to produce photocopies of these and a limited number are periodically being made available at the inquiry venue. I should stress that this is a purely voluntary arrangement, and that the transcripts will not form part of the formal inquiry documentation to be included in the Inspector's report.