HC Deb 09 February 1998 vol 306 cc93-4W
Mr. Savidge

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will assess the desirability of suspending particular categories of operations at Dounreay. [27999]

Mr. Battle

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 2 February 1998,Official Report, column 484.

Mr. Savidge

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which nuclear waste storage facilities at Dounreay have been assessed to be unsafe; what is the estimated cost of clearing these up; which of these are still having waste added to them; and if she will estimate the effect of this on those costs. [27998]

Mr. Battle

All nuclear waste storage facilities at Dounreay are subject to strict independent regulation to ensure they do not pose an unacceptable risk to public health. No nuclear waste storage facilities at Dounreay have been assessed by the regulators as unsafe. Subject to continuing to meet the requirements laid down by the regulators, the operation of storage facilities at Dounreay is a matter for the UKAEA. All storage facilities on the Dounreay site, including the Wet Silo, will be emptied in due course as part of the programme of ultimate waste disposal and site remediation. As it is Government policy to ensure good value for money between a range of companies, the cost estimates for individual facilities are commercially confidential.

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