§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the court action being taken by the European Commission in respect of access arrangements for nuclear inspections at Sellafield, with particular reference to pond B30. [188054]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe Commission issued a press release dated 3 September 2004. The Department continues to seek a formal response on the detailed basis for the Commission's action, but I understand as of 10 September has yet to receive this. We have also continued to emphasise that the UK remains keen to engage in a full and co-operative dialogue with the Commission aimed at satisfactorily resolving the remaining Euratom Treaty safeguards issues at the B30 plant.
Access for nuclear safeguards inspections is provided according to the terms of Chapter 7 of the Euratom Treaty and the UK's safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The European Commission's published reports on its implementation of Euratom safeguards show that there is very considerable inspection effort in the UK (some 2400 days in 2002)—about half of which effort is at the Sellafield site. Safeguards inspectors have not been denied access for their verification and inspection activities at the Sellafield site, or elsewhere in the UK. Safeguards inspectors, as much as anyone else, have of course to be protected by UK regulations relating to radiological dose/safety—this is a factor in their access to the B30 plant. It has also been clearly acknowledged that poor visibility caused by the condition of the material in the B30 pond hinders safeguards verification there.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had relating to the termination of fuel reprocessing at Sellafield, with particular reference to(a) the timescale and (b) the cost to public funds. [188061]
1857W
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienDiscussions have taken place as part of the wider process of restructuring BNFL. BNFL expects to complete their existing order book for reprocessing spent fuel at THORP by around 2010. Operation of THORP beyond completion of the existing order book would be dependent on there being new contracts for reprocessing further spent fuel at the plant which, in the first instance, is dependent on there being customer demand.
The Government's position on the future of THORP was set out in the July 2002 White Paper on Managing the Nuclear Legacy. We expect existing THORP contracts to be honoured. There are currently no proposals for new contracts for reprocessing further spent fuel at THORP. Before any such new THORP contracts could be concluded or changes made to existing contracts that increased the volume of spent fuel to be reprocessed at THORP, the approval of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry would be required. Before making a decision on any such future proposal, the Government would review it against the specific criteria that were set out in the White Paper and would consult publicly.