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Nuclear Industry

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive regarding the licensing of nuclear power stations. [71550]

Mr. Wilson: I have had no such discussions.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what opinion polls her Department has initiated regarding nuclear energy since 1997; and if she will place copies of the results of such polls in the Library. [71548]

Mr. Wilson: No such polls have been conducted. The current energy policy consultation is seeking views on the role that nuclear power might play in a delivering a future energy policy and we hope that all those with an interest will make their views known.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list her Department's measures to accelerate new investment in nuclear energy. [71523]

Mr. Wilson: There are no specific measures to accelerate investment in new nuclear capacity. The PIU energy review report recommended that there are good reasons, both security of supply and low carbon, for the Government to take a positive stance on keeping the nuclear option open. We are currently consulting on this and other PIU recommendations and the results will form the basis of a White Paper to be published around the turn of the year.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has held with (a) BE and (b) BNFL officials regarding the exemption of the nuclear industry from the Climate Change Levy. [71509]

Mr. Wilson: Representations have been made by BE and BNFL about the exemption of nuclear generation from the climate change levy. This is a taxation matter for the Treasury.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she has taken to decrease the risks associated with new nuclear stations. [71513]

Mr. Wilson: The financial risk involved in building new nuclear stations would be primarily a matter for the potential investor.

The Government is concerned to ensure that the inherent risks involved in electricity generation, whatever the means, are properly controlled. We expect the nuclear power industry to meet high safety and environmental standards.

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when her Department last met (a) BE, (b) BNFL and (c) UKAE to discuss the nuclear industry. [71296]

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Mr. Wilson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Ministers and officials meet BE, BNFL and UKAEA regularly to discuss a broad range of issues and there have been meetings with representatives from each of those companies within the last month.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations her Department has received regarding changes in carbon emissions after (a) 2020 and (b) the closing of all existing nuclear power stations; [71520]

(2) what representations her Department has received regarding the minimisation of local opposition to the development of nuclear energy; [71551]

(3) what representations she has received on the potential of nuclear energy as a low-carbon energy source; [71528]

(4) what representations she has received from non-Governmental organisations regarding the building of new nuclear power stations; [71547]

(5) what her Department's assessment is of the strategic security of (a) renewable and (b) nuclear energy supply; [71530]

(6) if she will make a statement on the building of new nuclear power stations; [71519]

(7) what representations her Department has received regarding the level of carbon tax at which new nuclear build becomes economic; [71511]

(8) what representations she has received regarding (a) the speed at which renewable energy sources can be developed and (b) whether new nuclear build will be needed; and if she will make a statement; [71521]

(9) what representations her Department has received regarding the (a) environmental and (b) discharge implications arising from (i) lifetime extension and (ii) new construction of nuclear power stations; [71514]

(10) what her assessment is of the environmental (a) benefits and (b) dangers of nuclear energy; [71518]

(11) what her assessment is of the case for new nuclear build in the future; [71510]

(12) what her Department's plan is for stimulating public debate on (a) nuclear-specific risks and (b) carbon abatement potential. [71531]

Mr. Wilson: These are all issues on which the Government is currently taking views in its consultation on energy policy and on which our position will be set out in a White Paper around the turn of the year. The White Paper will take account in particular of the report and recommendations of the recent PIU energy review, the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution report "Energy—the Changing Climate", other recent Parliamentary reports, existing Government commitments and the findings of the current energy policy consultation. The consultation is very wide-ranging and is engaging stakeholders as well as the public through a variety of innovative approaches and events. It includes consideration of the role of all generation sources including nuclear power in delivering future energy policy, and the actions that might be needed to maintain nuclear as energy option. In parallel and specifically

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relevant to nuclear, the Government has also been consulting on the management of radioactive waste and DTI has recently published a White Paper on managing the public sector civil nuclear legacy.

Nuclear Power currently provides about a quarter of UK's electricity supplies. Existing stations are expected to continue to contribute to the country's energy requirements and to helping limit carbon emissions provided they do so to the high safety and environmental standards currently observed. The Government is concerned to ensure that the inherent risks involved in electricity generation, whatever the means, are properly controlled.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the future of nuclear generating capacity within the United Kingdom. [65004]

Mr. Wilson [holding answer 27 June 2002]: The current energy policy consultation is considering the future role of all generation sources, including nuclear power, in delivering a future energy policy, submission have been requested by 13 September and we intend to issue a White Paper around the turn of the year.

Nuclear Power currently provides about a quarter of UK's electricity supplies. Existing stations are expected to continue to contribute to the country's energy

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requirements and to helping limit carbon emissions provided they do so to the high safety and environmental standards currently observed.

Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated total cost is of dealing with nuclear fuel waste. [66096]

Mr. Wilson: In the UK, the majority of spent fuel is owned by the operators of the UK's nuclear power stations—BNFL which owns the UK's Magnox stations and British Energy which owns the UK's Advanced Gas Cooled Reactors and one Pressurised Water Reactor. The cost of managing spent nuclear fuel will depend on the management option chosen by the owner of the fuel. BNFL and British Energy publish annual accounts that include information on their respective nuclear provisions. These include provisions for de-fuelling, reprocessing and the management of spent nuclear fuel.

BNFL (Fines)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the fines British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. has had to pay in each year since 2000, arising from safety and environmental breaches at (a) Sellafield, (b) Chapelcross, (c) Springfields and (d) the magnox nuclear stations. [69448]

Mr. Wilson: BNFL Ltd. have incurred fines arising from safety and environmental breaches at the sites listed for the following years:

	2000	2001	2002
a. Sellafield	£44,000	£8,000	£15,000
b. Chapelcross	£5,000	Nil	Nil to date
c. Springfields	nil	Nil	Nil to date
d. Magnox nuclear stations (excluding Chapelcross)	£38,000	£100,000	Nil to date

BNFL

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the (a) percentage stake and (b) real amounts of BNFL investments in the (i) AP1000, (ii) AP600, (iii) Pebble Bed Modular Reactor and (iv) Candu 6. [69446]

Mr. Wilson: AP1000 and AP600 are designs owned by BNFL's subsidiary Westinghouse Electric Company. BNFL currently has a stake of around 20 per cent. in the PBMR, but no interest in Candu 6.

Levels of investment are a commercial matter for the company.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the meetings held in the last two years between representatives of BNFL and its subsidiaries and members of the United States Congress. [69502]

Mr. Wilson: No. Details of individual meetings of BNFL employees or representatives are a matter for the company.

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