asked the Minister for Energy whether he has demanded of the European Commission under the Euratom Treaty that (a) there be full disclosure of all facts about discharges and incidents at nuclear power plants in the United Kingdom and (b) there be an independent European evaluation of the United Kingdom plans for undersea storage of radioactive waste.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Nuclear Power.
27.
The provisions of the Euratom Treaty do not provide for the notification to the Commission by member states of all incidents and discharges at nuclear power stations. There is, however, a requirement on member states under the Euratom Directive that any accident involving exposure of the population must be notified as a matter of urgency when the circumstances so require to neighbouring member states and the Commission. Recognising the importance of early notification of a nuclear accident following the Chernobyl disaster, both the EC and the International Atomic Energy Agency have adopted early notification systems for the rapid exchange of information.
Apart from Italy, Greece and Luxembourg all other EC states are contracting parties to the Paris Convention for the prevention of marine pollution from land-based sources. Under the Convention a format has been adopted whereby nuclear states report on an annual basis to the Secretariat of the Paris Convention information about discharges of radioactive substances to the marine environment. On a proposal made by Ireland the Paris Commission has established a system for immediate reporting of unplanned discharges into the sea. We also have an informal bilateral arrangement with the UK that incidents, including unplanned discharges at nuclear installations in the UK are reported to us as they arise.
With regard to the proposed plans to store nuclear waste in caverns under the Irish Sea, at a meeting I had with Mr. Parkinson, the UK Secretary of State for Energy last September, I was assured by him that no definite proposals for final disposal of such waste in undersea caverns existed but various options were being examined by NIREX, the UK body entrusted with this task. At the meeting I made it quite clear to Mr. Parkinson that the Government were totally opposed to any proposal to place nuclear waste in caverns under the Irish Sea.
Any definite proposals for the disposal of radioactive waste would have to be submitted to the EC Commission for its opinion in compliance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty.
Is it not possible under the Euratom Treaty for proposals to dispose of radioactive waste, such as undersea storage, to be brought before Euratom for independent evaluation? Has the Minister not considered doing that?
That is a matter for the Commission and we are pressing them on that and any other issues that arise. I will repeat the last paragraph of my reply for the Deputy.
Any definite proposals for the disposal of radioactive waste would have to be submitted to the EC Commission for its opinion in compliance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty.
The Deputy is correct on that and he can be assured I will continue to monitor the situation.
Is there a possibility at this stage of requiring that the British plans be presented to Euratom so we as independent and affected parties could participate in the evaluation of these proposals?
Evaluation etc. would be done by the Commission but the Deputy can be assured the Commission are well aware of our views in relation to the UK's final proposals when decisions are made in the UK in relation to their proposals for the dumping of their waste. The Commission are well aware that we want to be considered and consulted on the situation.