HC Deb 22 January 1998 vol 304 cc618-9W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from Portsmouth City Council requesting information concerning the dumping of(a) radioactive and (b) low-grade radioactive waste in the Portsmouth area. [23332]

Mr. Spellar

Officials within the Ministry of Defence have received a number of requests for information concerning the dumping of radioactive waste from Portsmouth City Council. This has been supplied, subject to the constraints laid down in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what records his Department has collated in respect of the dumping of(a) radioactive and (b) low-grade radioactive waste in the Portsmouth City Council area; and if he will make the records available to the Council's Environmental Health Officer; [23377]

(2) what records his Department holds on the dumping of radioactive waste and low-grade radioactive waste in (a) the Fareham Borough Council, (b) the East Hampshire District Council and (c) the Rushmoor Borough Council area; and if he will make them available to the councils' environmental health officers; [23717]

(3) if he will make available records of the dumping of radioactive waste and low-grade radioactive waste, in the Havant Borough Council area, to the council's environmental health officer; [24058]

(4) if he will make departmental records on the dumping of radioactive waste and low-grade radioactive waste, in the Gosport Borough Council area, available to the council's environmental health officer. [24059]

Mr. Spellar

Although the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 does not apply to the Ministry of Defence, radioactive waste is disposed of from MOD sites under arrangements with the Environment Agency similar to those required by the Act. As part of these arrangements, information on local disposals is passed to the relevant councils. The MOD also holds some reports which relate to activities pre-dating these arrangements, most notably at Aldershot. In that instance both Rushmoor Borough Council and the Environment Agency are involved in discussions about the site. Information is also made available in response to specific requests under the terms of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.