HC Deb 11 February 2004 vol 417 cc1478-9W
Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much nuclear waste has been(a) imported into the United Kingdom,(b)reprocessed in the United Kingdom and (c)subsequently exported from the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [153371]

Mr. Timms

The UK does not allow the import of radioactive waste, but foreign spent fuel is received in the UK for reprocessing. Details of fuel deliveries and the programming of reprocessing fuel are operational and commercial matters for BNFL and its customers, but the total amount of foreign spent fuel to be reprocessed during THORP's baseload period of operation is 4,547 tonnes.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many tons of radioactive waste were shipped to the United Kingdom for storage in each year since 1997; and what the projected figures are for each of the next four years. [152984]

Mr. Timms

The UK does not allow the import of radioactive waste, but foreign spent nuclear fuel is received in the UK for reprocessing. Details of fuel deliveries are operational and commercial matters for BNFL and its customers.

Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the contract for the consultation paper on proposals for intermediate level radioactive waste substitution, published in January 2004, was put out to competitive tender; how NAC International Consultancy was chosen to prepare the document; who the other bidders were; and what account was taken of NAC International's existing contracts with BNFL in making the selection. [154206]

Mr. Timms

The DTI issued an invitation to tender (ITT) to undertake the study on Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste Substitution on 18 November 2002.

Bids were received from six companies by the due closing date of 6 December 2002. All complied with the ITT and in material respects, with all other commercial evaluation criteria laid down by the Department's procurement manual. The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Exemption 13 Third Party's Commercial Confidences) exempts the bidders from being named.

NAC were selected on the basis of relevant experience, value for money and the ability to deliver a quality report to agreed timescales. NAC, together with four other companies provided statements of independence with their tenders.

NAC is an international company providing consultancy services on a wide range of nuclear issues. We are advised by NAC that its work for BNFL amounts to around 0.3 per cent. of current turnover. Most of NAC's turnover is generated from work conducted outside of the UK.