HC Deb 15 July 1997 vol 298 cc140-1W
Mr. Baker

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 9 July 1997,Official Report, column 485, what matters are dealt with in the 1952 Atomic Energy Board (minutes and papers); and if she will now transfer those documents to the Public Record Office for release for public inspection. [8708]

Mr. Battle

The 1952 Atomic Energy Board (minutes and papers) dealt with a variety of issues pertinent to the UK nuclear industry. As my hon. Friend the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs stated in his answer of 9 July, many of these records contained material of a sensitive nature and therefore, both IKAEA and MOD agreed at the last review of this file in 1996, that these papers should not be released at this time.

Mr. Baker

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to increase accessibility to information held by(a) her Department and (b) the Atomic Energy Authority relating to nuclear power generation. [8709]

Mr. Battle

I attach considerable importance to freedom of information and am concerned to improve the level of information made available to the public. The Department of Trade and Industry already makes a significant amount of information about nuclear power generation available through publications such as the Energy Report and the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics. It will continue to explore ways of increasing access to this information both proactively and in response to specific requests. This is being reflected, for example, in the more forthcoming answers to Parliamentary Questions, on a range of nuclear issues, in the last two months.

The UK Atomic Energy Authority is publicly committed to a policy of frank and open communication of information wherever possible.

Mr. Baker

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what papers relating to the Windscale fire in 1957 are still held by her Department; and if she will now pass those to the Public Record Office for release for public inspection. [8707]

Mr. Battle

All known files relating to the Windscale fire are already in the Public Record Office. I am not aware of any other files held by the Department. The official UKAEA historian, Lorna Arnold has also written a book on the Windscale fire, "Windscale 1957—Anatomy of a Nuclear Accident" published 1992, which includes an exhaustive reference list.