Written question asked by Lord Inglewood (Crossbench) on Wednesday, 25 June 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 9 July 2025. It was answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 July 2025 on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Radioactive Waste: Storage

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of incorporating lessons learned from the recent US bombing of Iran in the planned design of the repositories for the long-term storage of high-level nuclear waste.

Answer: The geological disposal facility will isolate and secure radioactive waste against credible threats, in accordance with regulatory requirements. The design of the facility will incorporate international learning, to contain the waste in engineered vaults at a depth of hundreds of metres, so that no harmful quantity of radioactivity reaches the surface environment. The independent Office for Nuclear Regulation is responsible for assessing the safety and approving security arrangements for the facility, and for securing compliance with those arrangements once a nuclear site licence has been granted.

Secondary information