HC Deb 08 March 2004 vol 418 cc1325-6W
Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the United Kingdom voted on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 58/40 (L12) in the UN First Committee on 27 October 2003 on the prohibition of the dumping of radioactive waste, and combating the hazards of radioactive wastes used in radiological warfare; and if he will make a statement. [151850]

Mr. Rammell

The United Kingdom joined consensus on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 58/40 (LI2) in the UN First Committee on 27 October 2003 on the prohibition of the dumping of radioactive waste, and combating the hazards of radioactive wastes used in radiological warfare.

On 12 March 2001 the UK ratified the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management which was negotiated under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The convention's primary objective is to achieve and maintain a high level of safety worldwide in spent fuel and radioactive waste management. It came into force on 18 June 2001. The UK's first national report, demonstrating our compliance with the convention, was provided to the IAEA in May 2003. National reports are subject to a process of peer review and are updated every three years.

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