§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will make a statement on the environmental implications of the manufacture of MOX fuel at Sellafield; [9928]
(2) what conclusions her Department has reached about objections raised by (a) the Irish Government and (b) others to the MOX plant at Sellafield; [9929]
(3) what (a) risk assessment and (b) additional consideration her Department has given to the risk of suicide terrorist attacks on shipments of plutonium since 11 September; [9931]
§ Margaret BeckettThe Secretary of State for Health and I decided on 3 October that MOX manufacture is justified under the Basic Safety Standards Directive. We took account of all relevant issues up to that date, including environmental and security considerations and the views of the Irish Government and others who responded to five consultation exercises over five years. A copy of our decision is in the Library, including a summary of environmental, security and other main considerations taken into account. Paragraphs 56–64 and 67–70 of the decision document and paragraphs 6–14 and 25–33 of Annexe 1 describe these issues in detail. We sought the advice of agencies responsible for safety and security issues, including the Office for Civil Nuclear Security which, as the decision document makes clear, took account of the terrorist attacks on 11 September.