§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with(a) the Secretary of State for Defence and (b) the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales on emergency planning procedures to deal with a serious nuclear incident since the release of information by the Ministry of Defence on 1 May 2004 on incidents involving military aircraft and the Berkeley nuclear installations. [171648]
359W
§ Mr. TouhigFurther to the answer given to my hon. Friend by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the armed forces on 6 May 2004,Official Report, column 1714W, I can confirm that in the UK, off-site civil nuclear emergency planning has been well established over many years. This includes emergency plans which are prepared for all UK nuclear sites by first tier local authorities under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001. The emergency response arrangements are regularly tested in a programme of off-site exercises which bring together local and national organisations, and which are followed up both locally and nationally through the DTI-chaired Nuclear Emergency Planning Liaison Group.
Restricted areas of two nautical miles radius are in place around all major nuclear installations, which apply to both military and civil aircraft.
The Secretary of State for Wales meets with the Secretary of State for Defence and the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues, including emergency planning.