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Planning System Indicators

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons the project to provide advice to the departmental planning directorate on the development of strategic indicators for the planning system has fallen behind the schedule established in the departmental "Minis Returns 16 (1995)". [40809]

Sir Paul Beresford: The research project on developing performance indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of planning policy was included, in Minis 16, in the Department's work programme for both 1994-95 and 1995-96. The project was subsequently extended into 1996-97 to provide both the Department and the researchers additional time to address the complex issues involved. It is now due to be completed in November 1996.

Water Quality

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have had in the past year with (i) the World Health Organisation regional office for Europe, (ii) the United Kingdom water research centre at Medmenham and (iii) interested non-governmental environmental organisations, in regard to the effectiveness

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of the WHO guidelines for drinking water purity as incorporated in the Water Resources Act 1991 and the Environment Act 1995. [40791]

Mr. Clappison: The WHO guidelines for drinking water quality were reviewed and updated in 1993 in the light of new scientific information. The revised guidelines form the basis of many of the standards contained in EC proposal COM (94) 612 final, concerning the quality of water intended for human consumption. My officials have consulted widely on the Commission's proposal for a revised drinking water directive. The consultations have involved among others, WRC Medmenham plc and numerous non-governmental organisations, including Friends of Earth and Greenpeace.

Business Pressures

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the negative effects of short-term business pressures on strategic thinking and cross-departmental work co-operation. [40808]

Mr. Gummer: A review conducted in 1995 concluded that my Department should improve its strategic approach to policy development and advice, which can all too easily suffer because of short-term pressures of work. Various steps have been taken to bring about such an improvement.

Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received from British Nuclear Fuels concerning variation in the discharge authorisation for nuclear waste from the THORP facility. [40799]

Mr. Clappison: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on this subject on 14 October column 825.

Uranium Waste

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken to isolate and package pyrophoril uranium wastes at British Nuclear Fuels, Sellafield and Chapelcross plants since 1966. [40806]

Mr. Clappison: Any steps taken are a matter for BNFL subject to satisfying the regulatory requirements of the nuclear installations inspectorate.

Radioactive Waste

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications for Her Majesty's Government's policy on substitution for the return of radioactive waste to countries of origin after reprocessing of the European Council written reply H629/96 of 18 September on this issue. [40810]

Mr. Clappison: None. The assertion that

"BNFL is now considering the permanent on-site storage at Sellafield of high-level waste from the THORP plant, rather than returning it to foreign customers in Japan and Germany" as contained in the question answered on 18 September H629/96 is incorrect.

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Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the extent to which the sight ion exchange extraction plant--SIXEP--and the enhanced actinide removal plant--EARP--waste filtration plants servicing the thermal oxide reprocessing plant facility at Sellafield have met their planned operational functions. [40800]

Mr. Clappison: The operation of the SIXEP and EARP plants has been closely monitored by the Environment Agency, and previously Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, since the plants came into operation. This monitoring has revealed that the two plants have met and some cases exceeded planned operational functions. The agency is continuing to monitor plant performance.

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources are available to the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee to commission independent scientific, technical or other relevant support studies from institutes or academic establishments. [40804]

Mr. Clappison: Members of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee are appointed for their ability to advise the Secretaries of State for the Environment, for Scotland and for Wales directly. Any additional advice required would normally be commissioned by the Government themselves. However, RWMAC is able to request resources to commission studies on an ad hoc basis.

The committee is currently undergoing a financial management and policy review. The prior options stage of this review will consider whether there is a continued need for the operation of RWMAC. If it is decided that the committee should continue, the second stage of the review will consider its structure and operation. This will include examination of the resources available to the committee.

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to extend the remit of RWMAC to oversee the expenditure of public money by public companies and organisations charged with the management of nuclear waste. [40803]

Mr. Clappison: The Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee is currently undergoing a financial management and policy review. The prior options stage of this review will consider whether there is a continued need for the operation of RWMAC. If it is decided that the committee should continue, the second stage of the review will consider its structure and operation. This will include examination of the scope of the committee's remit.

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what environmental policies are in place to cover the management of separated plutonium and plutonium contaminated wastes at nuclear facilities in the United Kingdom. [40805]

Mr. Clappison: Plutonium contaminated wastes are managed in accordance with the same policies that apply to all radioactive wastes. These are set out in the White Paper "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy--Final Conclusions", 1995, Cm 2919.

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Separated plutonium is not designated as waste at United Kingdom facilities. It is managed through safeguards applied to nuclear materials under chapter VII of the Euratom treaty, and through voluntary agreements which the United Kingdom has under the International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards regime.

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to request the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee to prepare guidance on the optimum environmental strategy on the handling, packaging, storage and disposal of plutonium designated as waste at United Kingdom facilities. [40802]

Mr. Clappison: There is no plutonium designated as waste at United Kingdom facilities.

Policy Documents (Implementation)

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment what factors led to his Department's delayed implementation of the principles published in the Government documents "Appraisal and the Environment" and "Making Markets Work for the Environment"; and what has been done to rectify the delay. [40790]

Mr. Clappison: The principles set out in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" relate to the integration of environmental considerations into the formulation of policies, programmes and projects, through the use of appraisal methodology. An evaluation of the extent to which the "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" guidelines have been adhered to across Whitehall was to be undertaken last year, but had to be postponed due to resource constraints. However, consultants have now been commissioned to undertaken the study and a report is due around the end of the year. The findings should provide a good overview of the extent to which the approach in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" is being followed, and to comment on this before seeing the report would be to pre-judge the issue. "Making Markets Work for the Environment" is concerned with developing better instruments to deliver environmental and sustainable development policies. The Government are committed to seeking an appropriate balance between direct regulation, economic instruments and voluntary actions, in a way fully consistent with the approach set out in "Making Markets Work for the Environment".

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