Vol. 411 No. 1
52 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Energy the structure he has in place in his Department to ensure adequate monitoring of the operation and proposed expansion of the Sellafield reprocessing and strong activities and their compliance with Euratom and EC directives to keep the Commission informed.
65 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Energy if he has satisfied himself that the United Kingdom has adequately informed the EC Commission of their expansion plans in relation to Sellafield and that the Commission is adequately monitoring the Sellafield operation under existing Euratom and EC powers.
97 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Energy if he has, under various Euratom Directives and regulations and secondary EC legislation, monitored closely the United Kingdom compliance with health, safety, safeguards and pollution requirements arising from such legal provisions.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 52, 65 and 97 together.
Although the operations at Sellafield cannot be monitored directly by my Department, an environmental radioactivity monitoring programme is in place. This programme is implemented by the Nuclear Energy Board on behalf of my Department. The concentrations of radioactivity in the Irish Sea, in fish, and in the air are measured by the board and these same facilities will be used in order to ascertain whether there is any increase in concentration when certain planned expansion activities come on stream at Sellafield.
Any new activities in relation to the Sellafield operation are subject to scrutiny by the Commission under Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty. Furthermore, the operator cannot implement any arrangements for discharges until he has received the Commission's opinion under Article 37, which is given after consultation with a committee of experts drawn from member states. This opinion has not yet been given in relation to expanded activities at Sellafield.
It is not open to me as Minister for Energy to monitor other member states' compliance with EC directives or regulations apart from the degree of monitoring I have mentioned above. Monitoring of compliance with relevant EC law is a matter for the Commission, and Deputies will be aware that I have long been pressing for a Community force to inspect nuclear installations. Member states can of course raise particular issues with the Commission, should they become aware that the law is not being complied with.
