Written question asked by Eddie McGrady (Social Democratic & Labour Party) on Monday, 16 June 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 June 2003. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 June 2003 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, why OSPAR's Radioactive Substances Committee was unable in February 2003 to reach agreement on the baseline for discharges of radioactive waste from the Sellafield Nuclear Re-processing Plant into the Irish Sea; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why OSPAR's Radioactive Substances Committee was unable in February 2003 to reach agreement on the baseline for discharges of radioactive waste from the Sellafield Nuclear Re-processing Plant into the Irish Sea; and if she will make a statement. [120114] Mr. Morley: The establishment of a baseline in relation to the OSPAR Strategy for radioactive substances covers radioactive discharges from all nuclear and non-nuclear sources into the marine environment, concentrations in the marine environment and resulting doses to members of the public. Broad agreement has already been reached by the Radioactive Substances Committee on the methodology for establishing a baseline, including the principle that it should use annual values averaged over a period of several years. I am confident that agreement can be reached at the forthcoming OSPAR meeting in Bremen on the spread of years this period should cover.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 120114; 407 c767W;407 c771W
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Radioactive waste Waste disposal Seas and oceans Sellafield Irish Sea OSPAR Commission OSPAR Radioactive Substances Committee
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk