HC Deb 23 January 1997 vol 288 cc689-91W
Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress being made to commission the A91 liquid waste treatment plant at AWE Aldermaston. [11831]

Mr. Arbuthnot

The civil engineering contractor is well advanced with his part of the commissioning process. AWE commissioning will then take place. A91 is now expected to be operational in 1998.

Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has to construct a size reduction facility at AWE Aldermaston; when; and at what cost; [11829]

(2) when the purpose-built store for storing the treated waste from the sludge solidification system at AWE Aldermaston is to be completed; and at what cost; [11832]

(3) what assessment he has made of the capacity at AWE Aldermaston for new nuclear waste stores for storage of waste planned to be disposed of at the proposed repository beyond 2010; [11828]

(4) when the new store planned for the plutonium-contaminated material contained within waste stream 7A21 is to be built; and at what cost. [11830]

Mr. Arbuthnot

Plans for the treatment and storage of intermediate level waste generated at AWE are kept under continuous review. Decisions as to the necessity for further ILW storage at AWE will depend on a number of factors, including the availability of facilities such as the deep waste repository to be developed by Nirex.

A scheme to provide a size reduction facility at AWE Aldermaston is under way. Present plans are for it to be operational early in the next century. The cost is still subject to negotiation and is not therefore available. There are no plans to create a new store for treated waste from the sludge solidification system at AWE. Such material can continue to be stored in existing facilities.

"Waste Stream 7A21" is a term used by Nirex Ltd. to designate waste contaminated by plutonium or uranium. Nirex Ltd.'s planning for future storage arrangements is proceedings. As far as my Department's responsibilities are concerned, safe and secure interim arrangements are provided, as necessary, at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated volume of nuclear waste arising from decommissioning of old plant and facilities at AWE Aldermaston which(a) cannot be disposed of at Drigg and (b) will need to be stored at AWE Aldermaston until 2010. [12121]

Mr. Arbuthnot

Approximately 2100 cu m of low and intermediate level radioactive waste, primarily resulting from the decommissioning of old plant and facilities and which cannot be disposed of at Drigg, will arise at AWE by the end of 2010. This will be safely stored at AWE in purpose—built facilities until the deep waste repository to be developed by Nirex becomes available.

Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many glove boxes are at present stored at AWE Aldermaston; and what plans he has to dispose of them. [12063]

Mr. Arbuthnot

At present there are 41 glove boxes stored at Aldermaston. Decommissioned glove boxes are classified as intermediate level waste. It is intended that they will be stored, following size reduction and supercompaction, at the deep waste repository to be developed by Nirex Ltd. Until the DWR is available, safe and secure storage is provided at AWE Aldermaston.

Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library an unclassified version of AWE Aldermaston's comprehensive decommissioning and waste management plan. [12064]

Mr. Arbuthnot

Plans for decommissioning facilities at AWE and for waste management consist of a number of separate documents. Decommissioning plans contain much detailed information on facilities and their present and intended functions. Such information is highly sensitive and any attempt at an unclassified version would render the resultant document meaningless. As to waste management, considerable information is already reported to the relevant regulatory bodies and we have at present no plans to consolidate such material.

Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the sludge solidification system planned for AWE Aldermaston was completed; if it is operational; and what was its total cost. [12091]

Mr. Arbuthnot

The sludge solidification system is planned to be completed prior to the radioactive waste effluent treatment plant, building A91, becoming operational in 1998. The cost is commercially confidential and I am therefore withholding it under exemption 7 of the code of practice on access to Government information relating to effective management and operations of the public service.

Mr. Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the establishments in the United States visited by employees of the Atomic Weapons Establishment under the aegis of the 1958 mutual defence agreement and the Trident sales agreement, indicating the number of visits to each, in each of the financial years 1990–91 to 1994–95. [12123]

Mr. Arbuthnot

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, a significant proportion of the visits would have been to Lawrence Livermore national laboratory, Sandia national laboratories, Los Alamos national laboratory, and various Department of Defence and Department of Energy Government offices.