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IMPLEMENTING GEOLOGICAL DISPOSAL: PUBLICATION OF THE SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT

I am pleased to announce today the publication of the sixth annual report of the Government’s Implementing Geological Disposal Programme. The programme is focused on implementing the geological disposal of higher activity radioactive waste.

The UK Government remains firmly committed to geological disposal as the right policy for the long-term safe and secure management of higher-activity radioactive waste, and continues to favour an approach that is based on the willingness of local communities to participate in the siting process.

The publication of the Implementing Geological Disposal White Paper in July 2014 set out the policy framework for the future implementation of geological disposal in the UK. Government has been progressing the ‘Initial Actions’ set out in the White Paper, and formal discussions between interested communities and the developer will begin once the ‘Initial Actions’ are complete.

The sixth annual report can be found at: http://www.gov.uk/beis . I have also written to the Chairs of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee and the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, and I have made available copies in the Libraries of the House.