§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what steps he plans to take to return technetium 99 discharges to pre-1994 levels; and if he will make a statement;[59919]
(2) pursuant to the statement by the Environment Agency of October in relation to the commissioning of the mixed oxide fuel plant at Sellafield, what plans he has to reconsider and extend the remit currently available to the Environment Agency;[59920]
(3) what action he is taking to direct the Environment Agency to reassess the fundamental justification for licensing the mox plant in the light of environmental and safety issues; [59921]
(4) what account he intends to take of the international agreement reached at the OSPAR conference in July at Sintra in responding to the Environment Agency's statement relating to liquid discharge limits. [59918]
§ Mr. MealeThe Agency's proposed decisions were received in my Department on 2 November. Requests have been made to Ministers to call in the applications for their own determination. These requests are being considered carefully and my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will announce their decision as soon as they are able to do so.
349W
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received in response to the statement by the Environment Agency on 23 October relating to the Sellafield MOX plant and variations to BNFL's site discharge authorisations. [59917]
§ Mr. MealeIn response to the statement by the Environment Agency on 23 October, 4 letters relating to the Sellafield MOX plant and 2 letters relating to the variations to BNFL's site discharge authorisations have been received.