§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if his Department's review of the safe storage of radioactive waste takes into account the full cost of(a) reprocessing and (b) dry storage options. [48977]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Health and Safety Executive are carrying out a review of storage facilities for intermediate-level waste and my Department have commissioned a study of the research requirements for the disposal of high-level waste. The Government intend to publish a consultation paper on radioactive waste management issues in the first half of next year. The issues to be covered in the paper will depend in part on the issues addressed in the report of the House of Lords Select Committee on nuclear waste, which may include reprocessing and dry storage of spent fuel.
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will call in the application for draft discharge authorisations in respect of nuclear waste from Sellafield; and if he will make a statement. [49321]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Environment Agency are considering the responses received during the public consultation into the applications for variations to BNFL's discharge authorisations for the Sellafield site which ended in March. There have been requests for Ministers to 'call in' these applications and decide the matter for themselves and these requests are being considered. In deciding whether to exercise the statutory powers of 'call in', all representations on this issue will be carefully considered.