§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what use has been made by the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management of the final report of the information needs research project commissioned by her Department in 2002; and if she will place a copy of the report in the Library. [154691]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Committee will consider this and other relevant reports when drawing up its work programme, agreeing this work programme with sponsoring Ministers, and subsequently implementing this agreed programme. The report, published in October 2002, under the reference Defra/RAS/02.014, may be accessed via Defra's Radioactive Substances Research website (www.defra.gov.uk/environment/radioactivity/research/index.htm). I have arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Library.
§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the annual budget in 2003–04 for the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management is; and what plans she has, in consultation with the devolved Administrations, to increase its budgets. [154693]
§ Mr. MorleyFor this financial year, CoRWM is working within existing Defra budgets to formulate its detailed work programme and associated estimates of resource needs. This programme and estimates, once130W agreed with sponsoring Ministers, will provide the basis for formally allocated Committee budgets for subsequent financial years.
§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management is empowered to sub-contract research to consultants. [154694]
§ Mr. MorleyIt is for CoRWM to judge what contracts, or sub-contracts may be required to enable it to carry out its programme. Contracts will be placed by my Department on behalf of CoRWM. All contracts and sub-contracts, which, in CoRWM's view, materially impact on its work programme, will be subject to approval by CoRWM. In all cases, Government procurement procedures will apply.