§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evaluation she has made of the report 0022/2003(CNS) for the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy, dated 24 September, by Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca MEP; and if she will make a statement on the recent recommendations of that committee on the proposals in so far as they affect United Kingdom policy.[142452]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 16 December 2003]: The report referred to by my hon. Friend is an early draft of the European Parliament's Opinion on a proposed Directive on the management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. The final version was issued on 1 December 2003, reference A5–0442/2003.
The Government shares the European Parliament's opposition to the draft Directive. Our views are set out in Explanatory Memorandum 8990/03, a copy of which is in the Library. Proposals for developing a policy for the long-term management of solid radioactive waste in the UK were consulted on in 2001. The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management has now been established to assess all of the options and to make recommendations to Government.