§ Earl Attleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they agree with the recommendation of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology report Managing of Nuclear Waste (HL Paper 41, Section 1998–99) that phased disposal in a deep repository is the most feasible option for disposing of nuclear waste; and [HL5444]
Whether they have engaged any outside consultants regarding possible options for the disposal of nuclear wastes; and what ongoing consultations they are conducting with regard to the long-term storage of nuclear waste. [HL5445]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)Under the "Managing Radioactive Waste Safely" programme, the UK Government and devolved administrations have asked the new independent Committee on Radioactive Waste 267WA Management (CoRWM) to oversee a review of the options for the long-term management of the UK's higher activity radioactive wastes. This review will involve an extensive programme of public and stakeholder engagement. The kinds of management options to be considered were discussed in Appendix 1 of the original Managing Radioactive Waste Safely consultation document published in September 2001, and include various forms of disposal and long-term storage. As part of its programme, CoRWM will evaluate all the options for long-term management against a set of common criteria that take into account public and stakeholder group views so as to recommend the best future policy. The committee has been asked to aim to provide its recommendations to government around the end of 2005. One of its first tasks will be to submit a detailed work plan for agreement with its sponsoring Ministers in Defra and the devolved administrations. It will be for CoRWM to decide whether or not it wishes to employ consultants to support them in their option assessment work. To date none has been engaged by the committee.