Vol. 400 No. 9
76 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Energy the discussions, if any, he has had with the Japanese Government to express this country's concern at the dangers arising from the trans-shipment through the Irish Sea of nuclear waste to Sellafield from Japan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am very concerned at UK plans to import spent fuel from other countries for reprocessing at Sellafield's Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP). The increased transport of spent and reprocessed fuel and waste through the Irish Sea, if that is the route to be used for transportation, with the attendant risk of accidents, is of particular concern. I have not discussed this matter directly with the Japanese Government. Responsibility for Sellafield lies with the UK and I raised Ireland's objections to the increased movement of radioactive materials to and from Sellafield when I met the UK Secretary of State for Energy, Mr. John Wakeham, on 18 May. It was also raised at the Council of EC Energy Ministers which I chaired on 21 May. Ireland's concerns over Sellafield were reiterated with particular reference to the processing of waste from other countries.
