§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
When the security implications of proceeding with the Mox development at Sellafield were last considered; and what was the outcome of that consideration. [HL750]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)My right honourable friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Health decided on 3 October that Mox manufacture is justified in accordance with the requirements of Article 6(1) of Directive 96/29/Euratom. This directive, commonly referred to as the "Basic Safety Standards Directive", requires in Article 6(1) that all new classes or types of practice resulting in exposure to ionising radiation are justified in advance of being first adopted or first approved by their economic, social or other benefits in relation to the health detriment they may cause. My right honourable friends took account of all relevant issues up to 3 October, including security considerations. A copy of their decision is in the Library, including a summary of some of the main considerations taken into account. Paragraphs 67–69 of the decision document and paragraphs 25–33 of Annex 1 describe these issues in detail. The Secretaries of State 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.